not to say

not to say

As well as; in addition to being. Used to indicate a stronger, more emphatic, or more candid description to what has just been written or spoken of. I think it would be an incredibly ill-advised, not to say downright foolish, not to accept his offer at this point in time. His behavior is boorish, not to say contemptible.
See also: not, say
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

ˈnot to say

used to suggest that you could, with good reason, use a stronger word to describe somebody/something: He is very difficult, not to say impossible, to understand.
See also: not, say
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • frankly
  • frankly speaking
  • speaking quite frankly
  • IKR
  • answer to the description (of)
  • wrongo
  • lutely
  • abso
  • where on God's green earth
  • a blow-by-blow description
References in classic literature
But it was very difficult for him not to say more, to tell her nothing but that.
I replied; and even if they are not, but only appear to be so to the person who is asked, ought he not to say what he thinks, whether you and I forbid him or not?
It is not the least among the strange things bred by the intense artificialness of sea-usages, that while in the open air of the deck some officers will, upon provocation, bear themselves boldly and defyingly enough towards their commander; yet, ten to one, let those very officers the next moment go down to their customary dinner in that same commander's cabin, and straightway their inoffensive, not to say deprecatory and humble air towards him, as he sits at the head of the table; this is marvellous, sometimes most comical.
But for all this, the great negro was wonderfully abstemious, not to say dainty.
"By all that's good," exclaimed Sancho at this, "I'll just as soon give myself three stabs with a dagger as three, not to say three thousand, lashes.
"But I'll take you, Don Clown stuffed with garlic," said Don Quixote, "and tie you to a tree as naked as when your mother brought you forth, and give you, not to say three thousand three hundred, but six thousand six hundred lashes, and so well laid on that they won't be got rid of if you try three thousand three hundred times; don't answer me a word or I'll tear your soul out."
Faults in the abstract are each and all so uninviting, not to say alarming, but, associated with certain eyes and hair and tender little gowns, it is curious how they lose their terrors; and, as with vice in the poet's image, we end by embracing what we began by dreading.
But Zarathustra came not to say unto all those liars and fools: "What do YE know of virtue!
As the earlier form of the letter is supposed to have been suggested by these pillars, so, it is thought by the great antiquary, its later was adopted as a simple and natural -- not to say touching -- means of keeping the calamity ever in the national memory.
Don't you know it's a terrible wicked thing not to say your prayers every night?
The casting of the Columbiad is an extremely delicate, not to say a dangerous operation, and I should prefer its being done privately.
(Tick up to three) Friendship 70%; Receiving a hug 44%; Being in a romantic relationship 27%; Sex 10%; Nothing is important to me 9%; Other 8%; Kissing 5%; Prefer not to say 1% | |Do you feel you have enough sex?
"The worst thing anyone can do with myself is not to say that I am a bad manager,
"I can't say anything because I was far (away) and the second thing is I can't say anything about the referee because I have had problems in the past with this referee when he was fourth offi-cial so I prefer not to say anything about him," he said.
To say that we will not successfully defend against all attacks is certainly not to say that we are not trying to stop all attacks, we are.