Definition

Noun: 1. A secluded or private place where one can be alone: A hideaway is a location, often small and cozy, designed for privacy, relaxation, or escape from others. 2. A hiding place; a remote refuge: A hideaway can also refer to a secret or isolated spot used for concealment, historically often by people avoiding capture, such as outlaws.

Usage Examples

• As a private retreat:
  • She has a little hideaway in the woods where she goes to read and write.
  • The cabin by the lake was their perfect romantic hideaway for the weekend.
• As a secret refuge:
  • The thieves used an old barn as their hideaway.
  • Legend says the pirate's treasure is buried near his coastal hideaway.

Advanced Usage

• "Secret hideaway": This common collocation emphasizes the concealed and private nature of the place.
  • The children had a secret hideaway in the attic where they kept their treasures.

Variants and Related Words

• Hideout (noun): A place where someone hides, especially from the authorities. This word is more strongly associated with concealment from pursuit than "hideaway," which can also imply a peaceful retreat.
  • The gang's hideout was discovered by the police.
• Retreat (noun): A quiet or secluded place where one can rest and relax. This shares the "private refuge" meaning but lacks the "hiding" connotation.
  • The mountain lodge serves as a spiritual retreat.

Synonyms

• Refuge: A condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble.
• Sanctuary: A place of refuge or safety; a sacred or holy place.
• Den: A wild animal's hidden home; by extension, a secret place where people meet, typically for illicit activities.
• Secluded spot: A private and isolated location.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "A bolt-hole" (chiefly British): A place where a person can escape and hide.
  • The city apartment was his bolt-hole from the pressures of fame.

Noun

1. an area where you can be alone
2. a hiding place; usually a remote place used by outlaws