Brewer's: Petto

It petto. In secrecy, in reserve (Italian, in the breast). The pope creates cardinals in pettoi.e. in his own mind - and keeps the appointment to himself till he thinks proper to announce it.

“Belgium, a department of France in pettoi.e. in the intention of the people.” —The Herald, 1837.

Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894
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