What is the meaning of hugger-mugger?

noun

• A state of confusion.
  • usage: "he engaged in the hugger-mugger of international finance"

adjective

• In utter disorder.
  • usage: "a disorderly pile of clothes"
  • synonyms: disorderly, higgledy-piggledy, jumbled, topsy-turvy
• Conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods.
  • usage: "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"
  • synonyms: clandestine, cloak-and-dagger, hole-and-corner, hush-hush, secret, surreptitious, undercover, underground

adverb

• In secrecy.
  • usage: "they did it all hugger-mugger"