- weasel words
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n.〚prob. in allusion to the weasel's habit of sucking out the contents of an egg without destroying the shell〛words or remarks that are deliberately ambiguous or misleading
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Universalium. 2010.
weasel words
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weasel words — plural noun (informal) Words that make a statement evasive or misleading, orig (in sing) a word used illegitimately in conjunction with another word rendering it meaningless or sucking its meaning from it as a weasel sucks out the contents of an… … Useful english dictionary
weasel words — If somebody uses vaque and unspecific terms to try to avoid being clear about their position or opinion, they are using weasel words … The small dictionary of idiomes
weasel words — ☆ weasel words n. [prob. in allusion to the weasel s habit of sucking out the contents of an egg without destroying the shell] words or remarks that are deliberately ambiguous or misleading … English World dictionary
weasel words — Meaning Origin Stewart Chaplin s story Stained glass political platform , 1900, contains Why, weasel words are words that suck the life out of the words next to them, just as a weasel sucks the egg and leaves the shell. Theodore Roosevelt made… … Meaning and origin of phrases
weasel words — mainly American words that you use to avoid answering a question or to deceive someone. She was too experienced an interviewer to be taken in by the weasel words of crafty politicians … New idioms dictionary
weasel words — words that have many meanings … English contemporary dictionary
weasel words — words or statements that are intentionally ambiguous or misleading. → weary of … English new terms dictionary
weasel words — n insincere, devious or unscrupulous talk. This well established usage probably derives from the weasel s claimed abil ity to suck the contents from an egg without shattering the shell, hence the notion of evasion … Contemporary slang
Weasel word — Weasel words is an informal term for words that are ambiguous and cannot be substantiated by facts. They are typically used to create an illusion of clear, direct communication. Weasel words are usually expressed with deliberate imprecision with… … Wikipedia
Words of Estimative Probability — (WEP or WEPs) are terms used by intelligence analysts in the production of analytic reports to convey the likelihood of a future event occurring. They express the extent of their confidence in the finding. A well chosen WEP provides a decision… … Wikipedia
