“What happens at Georgetown Prep, stays at Georgetown Prep.” This is how Judge Brett Kavanaugh described his high school days and his college adventures. “What happens on the bus, stays on the bus.” But it’s a saying you’ve probably heard before. “What happens here—” “What happens in Mexico—” “What happened in Cairo—” “What happens in accounting—” “—stays at the Oscars, O.K.?” Its meaning comes from what it doesn’t say. And more often than not, it’s a nudge, nudge, wink, wink to a boys’ club code of conduct. “It continues to have a male connotation that men do things — or at least talk about things — when women are not around.” “You know it’s right in line with: ‘I don’t kiss and tell,’ ‘Boys will be boys.’” “It’s a linguistic strategy that provides a ready-made practically nursery rhyme-ready excuse for men’s misbehaviors that almost suggests before the behaviors are even called out that the behavior should go without consequence.” These days the phrase isn’t used exclusively by men, but linguists say it likely emerged in the second half of the 20th century in male-dominated spaces, like sports clubs, and rock bands. It later became popular among spring breakers. “Dude says he’s going to murder these other guys.” Eventually, it entered Americans’ everyday vocabulary, when a self-proclaimed Sin City adopted it as its official slogan. “What happens in Vegas—” “What happens in Vegas—” “What happens in Vegas—” “—stays in Vegas.” “Within the logic of this ad campaign, not having a story to share, doesn’t mean you didn’t have this extraordinary time. It just means that the story you do have needs to be silenced because of the social rules that you had to break to get it.” “You gotta think of me as your life coach.” The phrase can refer to anything from drinking and partying— “Listen to him.” to lying and womanizing— “I am a brain doctor. I’m a lifeguard. I’m a race car driver.” “You told my friend you’re a lawyer.” to sexual experimentation — “You gentlemen ready to check in?” or perhaps more unspeakable things. “Is this about Vegas?” “Vegas?” “You scared me for a second.” But the connotation stays the same. Men behave badly when their mothers or wives aren’t looking. It’s a trope of masculinity that runs deep, from fraternities to Wall Street. Being one of the guys takes the ability and willingness to keep secrets. So while what happens here stays here has become a rallying cry for wild weekends, it also suggests that reckless or aggressive behavior is O.K., as long as men stick together.