economical with the truth

economical with the truth

Not fully truthful; deceitful, often by manipulating language or omitting certain details I wouldn't trust him—everyone says he's economical with the truth. When I walked into a house full of teenagers, I knew that my kids had been economical with the truth when they said they'd only invite a few friends over.
See also: economical, truth
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

economical with the truth

Euph. untruthful. The mayor was known to be economical with the truth. I discovered that my boss had been economical with the truth when she said that the company was making money.
See also: economical, truth
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

economical with the truth

COMMON If someone is economical with the truth, they deceive people by not telling them the whole truth about something. In insisting that no changes had been made to the original plan, his team was being economical with the truth. She received a series of answers which were at best economical with the truth, at worst deliberately designed to deceive.
See also: economical, truth
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

economical with the truth

used euphemistically to describe a person or statement that lies or deliberately withholds information.
The phrase economy of truth was used in the 18th century by the orator Edmund Burke ( 1729–97 ), while in the 19th century Mark Twain observed ‘Truth is the most valuable thing we have. Let us economize it’ (Following the Equator, 1897 ). The present phrase became current after its use in the ‘Spycatcher’ trial in the New South Wales Supreme Court: Robert Armstrong , head of the British Civil Service, was reported as saying of a letter: ‘It contains a misleading impression, not a lie. It was being economical with the truth.’
2003 Observer He is ruthless in pursuit of commercial goals, otherwise he would not have been so economical with the truth two months ago when he ruled out any notion of signing Beckham.
See also: economical, truth
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

economical with the ˈtruth

a way of saying that somebody has left out some important facts, when you do not want to say that they are lying: After the trial he admitted that he had occasionally been economical with the truth.
See also: economical, truth
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • be economical with the truth
  • economical
  • level with
  • level with (one)
  • level with someone
  • forked tongue
  • half the truth is often a whole lie
  • not (one's) first barbecue
  • not (one's) first rodeo
  • rodeo
References in periodicals archive
FOLLOWING suggestions that our present Prime Minister can be 'economical with the truth' as indicated by the Head of Channel 4 News at an Edinburgh fringe seminar, it appears that he continues to have a selective memory when it comes to true facts.
Cracks will soon appear
Well she could be onto something here, because she is on their wavelength with the way she can be economical with the truth as demonstrated when head of international development.
Give them what they need
KEVIN Sullivan is being economical with the truth when he claims in the Western Mail (letters, October 18) that we need a second referendum so that people like himself can make a reasoned decision.
Why not just accept the result of the vote?
Are we honestly expected to believe that this year's students have done even better than last year's exceptional examinees, or are headteachers being a little economical with the truth? I look forward to the day when a head - and it would have to be a brave one - actually comments: "They are very disappointing results, but no worse than we expected."
Results the best ever - yet again; LETTERS
President, that the Presidency was economical with the truth in its statement wherein it attempted to dissociate itself from the ugly developments in the Senate, which have put our nation's stability and our democracy under serious stress.'
Saraki: Buhari organization's threat exposes those behind NASS invasion a PDP
Or even when not in doubt then at the very least be economical with the truth and if that fails well lie anyway.
Default position? Dishonesty
Either Rudd is clueless about what is happening on her watch or she was economical with the truth. Whichever it is, it prises another of her fingers from the despatch box.
Rudd steer has failed
The author of the article, Praveen Swami, has raised some questions over the official story and claimed that the governments of both India and Pakistan have been "economical with the truth".
MEA brushes off Frontline article on Jadhav
I can see that some trainers have great owners who pay their bills - some by return - and they wouldn't want to upset them, but plenty would be being economical with the truth if they said everything was financially fine.
Pay through Weatherbys; LETTERS
The same old lies, slurs and exaggerations will be trotted out, politicians will be economical with the truth and every promise will come with an unspoken caveat.
How to cope with the election
The SNP are being economical with the truth about the economy.Gerald Edwards, Glasgow ....
Work it out; Letters.
Sometimes it is better to be economical with the truth, and being overly modest isn't a virtue, it's just foolish.
Leadership BS: Fixing Workplaces and Careers One Truth at a Time
Anyway, we now know officially that our secret service, Civil Service, Ministry of Defence, Prime Minister, politicians and Attorney General were all pretty much useless, economical with the truth and unaccountable.
All useless and economic with [...]
The right honourable Jeremy Corbyn is being economical with the truth if he says or intimates he was not aware of the centuries-old protocol.
Respect the Queen or go, Mr Corbyn
For example, I have recently seen a leaflet from someone who wants to be elected to the Assembly in next year's elections which contains a statement which in my view is very economical with the truth.
Good guys follow their consciences