little white lie

(little) white lie

A lie thought to be insignificant and justified, especially one told to avoid hurting someone's feelings or giving offense. I try to be honest most of the time, but I do tell white lies when I'm worried about upsetting people. A: "Do you actually like her new haircut?" B: "Of course not, but I couldn't tell her that, so I told a little white lie instead."

little white lie

Fig. a small, usually harmless lie; a fib. Every little white lie you tell is still a lie and it is still meant to mislead people.

See also: lie, little, white

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

See also:

(little) white lie
a white lie
not the half of
not the half of it/(something)
nothing burger
one or two
loose change
don't spend it all in one place
What do you want, a medal?
mean nothing to (one)

References in periodicals archive

He then rang his wife but admitted he told her a little white lie.

Lotto win was gun in a million

If Nawal is happy being single without any plans to mingle, why would she tell this little white lie?

Nawal el Zoghbi's little white lie about her imaginary divorce

Vermond isn't suggesting that cheating, forgery, fabrication or plagiarism aren't morally wrong, but asks her readers to consider when it might be okay to stretch the truth or tell a little white lie. She offers us portraits of some of the great liars in history; talks about the kinds of lies adults tell; looks at the way that different cultures view lies and lying--did you know that Canadian kids have a very different way of looking at lying than Chinese children do?--and whether or not it's possible to spot a lie.

Half-Truths and Brazen Lies: An Honest Look at Lying

Even a 'little white lie' might have consequences." People lie -- we know this.

Lied-to Children More Likely to Cheat, Lie

I may have told a little white lie in the build-up when I said this didn't mean too much from 2008.

HEARTACHE INSPIRED US SAYS SMITH

But while most male shopping companions are comfortable with a little white lie, 70 per cent of women are convinced their partner is giving them an honest opinion.

Men lie through teeth to avoid shop tiffs with partners

Using Nathaniel Hawthorne's famous novel The Scarlet Letter as its inspiration, this teen comedy introduces clean-cut high school student Olive Penderghast (Emma Stone) who gets more than she bargains for when she deliberately spreads a little white lie about losing her virginity in order to gain popularity among the student body.

Easy A

Bunbury Cup winner Little White Lie stayed on for fourth with the brave Yaddree claiming fifth, which some bookmakers will pay out on.

Horse Racing: TAZEEZ PLEASES

'Haiku Invoked Against Self-Importance': A nun who was once/my teacher cornered me at/Sterling Optical,//She wanted to know/what I had made of my gifts./I told her, Sorry,//Sister, Love to bring/you up to speed, but I must/go to Olympus//and round up my wife/as per my arrangement with/her heartsick mother.//Then, of course, it's back/to Hades, and terrible/judgment of the dead.//A little white lie:/I'm really resuming my throne/Among the blind men.

Ambivalid

I was so smitten by this new model that I had to feed that little white lie to the bank manager.

Motor Racing: Pure stunning perfection from Suzuki; BIKES

This little white lie elicits a welcoming, cap-toothed smile from the wife--a complete change of attitude.

A gesture and a pose: the cinema of Mikio Naruse

So desperately that she makes up a little white lie about her brother that snowballs out of control.

Avi, Rachel. Never mind! A twin novel

Jeffrey asked if it was all right to tell a little white lie, and his mom assured him that it was, if it was fun and made people happy.

Hilly Pilly & the Little White Lie

A little white lie about a birthday party tips Marina over the edge and Laura reluctantly clicks the Unfriend button on Facebook.

FRIEND REQUEST (15); ALSO SHOWING

And who among us has never told a little white lie?

A LYING SHAME JORDAN GOT AXE

词组	little white lie
释义	little white lie (little) white lie A lie thought to be insignificant and justified, especially one told to avoid hurting someone's feelings or giving offense. I try to be honest most of the time, but I do tell white lies when I'm worried about upsetting people. A: "Do you actually like her new haircut?" B: "Of course not, but I couldn't tell her that, so I told a little white lie instead." See also: lie, white Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. little white lie Fig. a small, usually harmless lie; a fib. Every little white lie you tell is still a lie and it is still meant to mislead people. See also: lie, little, white McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. See also: (little) white lie a white lie not the half of not the half of it/(something) nothing burger one or two loose change don't spend it all in one place What do you want, a medal? mean nothing to (one) References in periodicals archive He then rang his wife but admitted he told her a little white lie. Lotto win was gun in a million If Nawal is happy being single without any plans to mingle, why would she tell this little white lie? Nawal el Zoghbi's little white lie about her imaginary divorce Vermond isn't suggesting that cheating, forgery, fabrication or plagiarism aren't morally wrong, but asks her readers to consider when it might be okay to stretch the truth or tell a little white lie. She offers us portraits of some of the great liars in history; talks about the kinds of lies adults tell; looks at the way that different cultures view lies and lying--did you know that Canadian kids have a very different way of looking at lying than Chinese children do?--and whether or not it's possible to spot a lie. Half-Truths and Brazen Lies: An Honest Look at Lying Even a 'little white lie' might have consequences." People lie -- we know this. Lied-to Children More Likely to Cheat, Lie I may have told a little white lie in the build-up when I said this didn't mean too much from 2008. HEARTACHE INSPIRED US SAYS SMITH But while most male shopping companions are comfortable with a little white lie, 70 per cent of women are convinced their partner is giving them an honest opinion. Men lie through teeth to avoid shop tiffs with partners Using Nathaniel Hawthorne's famous novel The Scarlet Letter as its inspiration, this teen comedy introduces clean-cut high school student Olive Penderghast (Emma Stone) who gets more than she bargains for when she deliberately spreads a little white lie about losing her virginity in order to gain popularity among the student body. Easy A Bunbury Cup winner Little White Lie stayed on for fourth with the brave Yaddree claiming fifth, which some bookmakers will pay out on. Horse Racing: TAZEEZ PLEASES 'Haiku Invoked Against Self-Importance': A nun who was once/my teacher cornered me at/Sterling Optical,//She wanted to know/what I had made of my gifts./I told her, Sorry,//Sister, Love to bring/you up to speed, but I must/go to Olympus//and round up my wife/as per my arrangement with/her heartsick mother.//Then, of course, it's back/to Hades, and terrible/judgment of the dead.//A little white lie:/I'm really resuming my throne/Among the blind men. Ambivalid I was so smitten by this new model that I had to feed that little white lie to the bank manager. Motor Racing: Pure stunning perfection from Suzuki; BIKES This little white lie elicits a welcoming, cap-toothed smile from the wife--a complete change of attitude. A gesture and a pose: the cinema of Mikio Naruse So desperately that she makes up a little white lie about her brother that snowballs out of control. Avi, Rachel. Never mind! A twin novel Jeffrey asked if it was all right to tell a little white lie, and his mom assured him that it was, if it was fun and made people happy. Hilly Pilly & the Little White Lie A little white lie about a birthday party tips Marina over the edge and Laura reluctantly clicks the Unfriend button on Facebook. FRIEND REQUEST (15); ALSO SHOWING And who among us has never told a little white lie? A LYING SHAME JORDAN GOT AXE
随便看	put somebody on their mettle put somebody on the spot put somebody out to pasture put somebody's nose out of joint put somebody/something first put somebody/something in the shade put somebody/something on the map put somebody/something out of their/its misery put somebody/something through their/its paces put somebody/something to shame put somebody/something to sleep put somebody/something to the test put somebody through it put somebody to death put somebody to the expense of something/of doing something put somebody wise put some creature out of its misery put some distance between put some distance between someone and someone/something put some distance between (someone or something) put some English on it put (some) meat on (one's) bones put someone away put (someone) in harm's way put someone in his or her place