to weasel out
10
8.2
- phrasal verb
- /ˈwiːzəl aʊt/
- Informal
:
escaquearse de
- After promising to help, he tried to weasel out of the commitment by making excuses.
- tries to weasel out
- way to weasel out
- weaseled out of going
Examples
-
What, you gonna try and weasel out of it?
-
When reporters asked him, he initially tried to weasel out of answering, but eventually fessed up to having a dog.
Blog text (12) -
Are you gonna weasel out on me?
-
See how he weasels out of that.
Fiction book (1998) -
Oh, it took six very expensive lawyers to weasel us out of it.
-
But not before he, through a verbal contract, weaseled out of having to pay child support.
Blog text (12) -
And rather than pay for what you've done, you weaseled your way out.
-
You're not going to weasel out of it.
-
You aren't going to weasel out of this.
Fiction book (1992) -
You're trying to weasel out of this wedding, aren't you?
Synonyms
462
3.8
Avoid doing a task or taking blame you should accept
31
3.9
To avoid doing something you should do, for example a duty or a direct question
25
5.3
To avoid answering a question or facing responsibility by giving unclear answers
21
8.0
To avoid responsibility by acting in a sneaky or dishonest way
17
7.4
To avoid giving a direct answer or clear commitment
15
4.9
To avoid answering a question or dealing with a problem directly
12
7.2
To leave a place quickly and quietly to avoid something you should do
7
9.9
To use unclear words to avoid giving a direct answer or telling the truth
5
7.8
Avoid a task you should do by making an excuse
5
7.7
To avoid giving a clear answer or decision
3
9.1
To avoid giving a direct answer to hide the truth
2
7.0
Avoid a duty or problem by making excuses
2
8.1
To avoid answering a question by giving a vague answer
To avoid taking responsibility by lying or being vague
To avoid answering or taking responsibility by using clever words
To trick people to avoid a problem or responsibility
Antonyms
How Evasive
- Informal
10
8.2
31
3.9
19
6.3
- Informal
12
7.2
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The verb 'weasel' (to evade obligations) combined with the particle 'out' (to get out of or away from something) directly yields the sense of avoiding a responsibility. Although slightly metaphorical and informal, the meaning follows a common verb+particle composition and would be derivable by a B1 learner who knows both constituent meanings.
Etymology
Weasel out may come from the small animal weasel, which can slip through tiny holes and get out of traps. People used that image of slipping away by trick to describe someone who avoids a duty, so weasel out means 'to avoid doing something', often by being dishonest.