explain away (something)

to invent reasons why something is unimportant.

You will find it hard to explain away all these mistakes.

Rather than face the truth, we try to explain it away.

• not be on speaking terms
• not be out of the wood
• not be out of the woods
• not be right in the head
• not be short of a bob or two
• not be someone's cup of tea
• not be someone's department
• not be the end of the world
• not be the full quid
• not be the marrying kind
• not be the only pebble on the beach
• not be up to much
• not be up to scratch
• not be worth a dime
• not be worth a fig
• not be worth a hill of beans
• not be worth the paper it's printed on
• not be worth the paper it's written on
• not be worth the paper they're printed on
• not be worth the paper they're written on
• not be your bag
• not be your brother's keeper
• not break the bank
• not breathe a word
• not budge an inch