economical with the truth
1
8.6
- idiom
- Literature
:
eufemístico
- When asked about his plans, she was economical with the truth, avoiding direct answers.
Examples
-
This account was based primarily on Churchill's own war memoirs, which were soon shown to have been remarkably economical with the truth in this respect.
Academic text (1993) -
Some might say McGuinty's governments have been economical with the truth and have strained Ontarians' credulity.
Blog text (6) -
Any banker who believes he's there to make money for his shareholders is bound to get the whole system wrong, start to dodge, weave, and pretend not to lie, or be fundamentally economical with the truth.
Blog text (20) -
In negotiations, he tended to be economical with the truth to gain an advantage.
-
The politician was criticized for being economical with the truth during the debate.
Synonyms
66
7.8
Pretending to be honest by hiding what you know
31
5.0
Acting in a dishonest way to make people believe something untrue
25
7.3
Not giving a direct answer to hide the truth or avoid commitment
6
9.1
Saying things that are not true
6
4.8
Not honest and likely to tell lies
5
7.4
Said or done in a not direct way to avoid telling the truth
Not honest and likely to say things that are not true
Antonyms
How Truthful
Surface Forms
Morphology
economical + with + the + truth
The adjective 'economical' used with 'truth' is a metaphorical extension meaning 'being sparing or frugal' with information, so a learner can infer that the speaker withholds or understates facts rather than openly lying. The connection is partly predictable from the words but carries a conventional, euphemistic nuance that may not be fully precise for a B1 learner without prior exposure.
Etymology
Economical with the truth uses a money image: being economical means saving or spending very little, so you are imagined 'saving' the truth like money and only giving a little. That's why it means 'not telling the whole truth' or deliberately leaving out important facts.