" under-the-counter "

[Adjective]  | "un*der-the-count*er" | \ ˈən-dər-ṯẖə-ˈkau̇n-tər \

1: surreptitious and usually irregular or illicit

Origin: 1926 ;

 From the hiding of illicit wares under the counter of stores where they are sold;

[Noun]  | "count*er" | \ ˈkau̇n-tər \

1: a piece (as of metal or plastic) used in reckoning or in games

2: something of value in bargaining : asset

3: a level surface (such as a table, shelf or display case) over which transactions are conducted or food is served or on which goods are displayed or work is conducted

Origin: 14th century ;

 Middle English countour, countere "table used for counting money or auditing accounts, metal disk used for arithmetic calculations," borrowed from Anglo-French countour, comptor (Middle French compteor "table used by a merchant to display wares and count money"), from conter, compter, cunter "to count, calculate, count as valid, relate, narrate" + -our, -or (Middle French -eoir), going back to Latin -ātōrium, from -ā-, stem formative of verbs + -tōrium, suffix denoting a place or object used for the activity of the verb (from neuter of -tōrius, adjective derivative of the agent noun -tōr-, -tor) {mat|count:1|};

  * Note : See note at {counter:2|counter:2}.;

[Noun]  | "coun*ter" | \ ˈkau̇n-tər \

1: contrary, opposite

2: the after portion of a boat from the waterline to the extreme outward swell or stern overhang

3: the act of making an attack while parrying one (as in boxing); also : a blow thus given in boxing

Origin: 15th century ;

 Derivative of {see: |counter:4|counter:4} and {see: |counter:6|counter:6}; (sense 2) perhaps of distinct origin;

[Adjective]  | "under-the-counter" 

[Noun]  | "counter"