to say the quiet part loud
1
9.1
- idiom
- UK
:
decir lo que se piensa
- Don't say the quiet part loud in front of the children!
Examples
-
She didn't mean to say the quiet part loud, but her comment made everyone uncomfortable.
-
Some politicians accidentally say the quiet part loud when they state their real intentions.
-
In his speech, the senator said the quiet part loud, shocking the audience with his honesty.
-
He always says the quiet part loud during meetings.
-
She inadvertently said the quiet part loud during the meeting, exposing the true agenda behind the project.
-
While discussing the issue, he said the quiet part loud, making everyone uncomfortable about the unspoken rules.
-
The politician said the quiet part loud when he admitted that the changes were motivated by profit rather than public interest.
Synonyms
830
2.9
To become known to people after being hidden
342
4.1
Reveal hidden facts or bad actions to people
220
3.4
To say your opinion or feelings openly even when it is difficult
109
4.1
To make something known for the first time
84
7.4
Make hidden truth known by a god or spirit
47
5.6
Say all private things about a person or event
45
6.2
To tell secret or private information to people
29
7.4
To tell a secret
18
6.0
Tell a secret by accident before others know
12
6.3
To tell someone a secret that should be kept
8
3.7
Make secret information known to the public
7
3.4
Talk honestly without hiding facts or feelings
7
4.0
Make something visible by removing a cover
6
7.8
To talk too much and tell secrets carelessly
5
5.6
Accidentally tell someone something you want to keep secret
5
8.1
To tell someone your private feelings or secrets openly
4
7.1
To reveal information that was previously hidden
3
5.3
Tell secret information carelessly to others
2
5.5
To show something hidden so people can see it
1
5.5
To tell a secret by accident and spoil a surprise
1
7.9
To tell a secret carelessly or without meaning to
To say openly something people normally keep secret
To tell secrets without thinking
Antonyms
How Explicit
342
4.1
- UK
1
9.1
∞
1.0
367
3.5
136
2.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
say + the + quiet + part + loud
The meaning is directly derivable from the parts: 'quiet part' denotes the piece normally kept silent or unspoken, and 'say ... loud' means to state it openly. This compositional logic is regular and cross-linguistically accessible, so a B1 learner who knows the individual words and basic syntax can infer the intended meaning.
Etymology
Say the quiet part loud comes from the image of someone who has a private thought, the quiet part, and then says it out loud, the loud. So it means 'to say something people usually keep secret'.