n.

1. a state of confusion; ritual accompanied by complicated and purposeless activity that obscures and confuses;
   mumbo jumbo
   
   • he engaged in the hugger-mugger of international finance

adj.

1. in utter disorder;
   disorderly, higgledy-piggledy, jumbled, topsy-turvy
   
   • a disorderly pile of clothes
2. conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods;
   clandestine, cloak-and-dagger, hole-and-corner(a), hush-hush, secret, surreptitious, undercover, underground
   
   • clandestine intelligence operations
   • cloak-and-dagger activities behind enemy lines
   • hole-and-corner intrigue
   • secret missions
   • a secret agent
   • secret sales of arms
   • surreptitious mobilization of troops
   • an undercover investigation
   • underground resistance

adv.

1. in secrecy
   
   • they did it all hugger-mugger