I came across "on the q. t." in Ulysses, and had to look it up.

I'll give the paragraph for context:

Quote:
All kinds of places are good for ads. That quack doctor for the clap used to be stuck up in all the greenhouses. Never see it now. Strictly confidential. Dr Hy Franks. Didn't cost him a red like Maginni the dancing master self advertisement. Got fellows to stick them up or stick them up himself for that matter on the q. t. running in to loosen a button. Flybynight. Just the place too. POST NO BILLS. POST 110 PILLS. Some chap with a dose burning him.


Bloom is talking about a Dr Franks posting advertisements for treatment of venereal disease in the men's room. He is definitely using "on the q. t." to mean, "on the sly".

Besides, just look in the dictionary:

Quote:
QT (also q.t.) noun (in phrase on the QT) informal secretly; stealthily: she'd better get there on the QT.

ORIGIN late 19th cent.: abbreviation of quiet .


Quote:
on the quiet informal without anyone knowing or noticing; secretly or unobtrusively.





Last edited by Hydra; 12/02/2007 1:22 PM.