modern use of an obsolete definition
I was amused to hear an interesting error while listening to Morning Sedition on America Left (XM). They were advertising a travel bag and the woman said something like, "This travel bag is a great way to secrete your belongings while you're on the road." Secrete? I think she meant secure. How indecent!
[update: Just out of curiousity I checked Merriam-Webster out and there is a definition of "secrete" that reads as follows: "to deposit or conceal in a hiding place." Well, you learn something new every day. So next time a customer wants me to hide something from their children who may be shopping with them, I'll just ask if they want me to secrete it for them. That'll go over well.]
Was the lady by any chance British? While "secrete" has fallen out of favor in the United States in the past 50 or so years, it is still quite common in Great Britain.
I sometimes find myself using it in everyday conversation because I got so used to using it as part of my living history character's vocabulary. It does get some strange stares when I say it though!
oh do it do it do it. but please call me over first so i can watch. :)