A 'weasel word' is defined as a noun used to evade direct statements, truth, or responsibility. It's characterized by language that appears fine on the surface but is ultimately empty or misleading.
A 'weasel word' is defined as a noun used to evade direct statements, truth, or responsibility. It's characterized by language that appears fine on the surface but is ultimately empty or misleading.
| Word | weasel word |
|---|---|
| Date | July 16, 2015 |
| Type | noun |
| Syllables | WEE-zul-WERD |
| Etymology | Some people believe that weasels can suck the insides out of an egg without damaging the shell, so that an egg thus weasel-treated would look fine on the outside but would actually be empty and useless. It was this supposed behavior on the part of the weasel that led people to start using weasel word to refer to any term intended to give the impression that everything is fine when the speaker is really trying to avoid answering a question, telling the truth, or taking the blame for something. |
| Examples | Many people suspected that the politician's weasel words concealed a deeper agenda. "Lesson: When your team messes up, take responsibility, fully and openly. No exculpatory clauses or weasel words." - Scot Lehigh, Boston Globe, March 4, 2015 |
| Definition | : a word used in order to evade or retreat from a direct or forthright statement or position |
Tags: wordoftheday::noun
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