Printer Friendly
Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary
3,919,387,505 visitors served.
forum Join the Word of the Day Mailing List For webmasters
?
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

weasel word
(redirected from Weasel phrase)

    Also found in: Wikipedia 0.01 sec.
weasel word
n.
An equivocal word used to deprive a statement of its force or to evade a direct commitment.
[From the weasel's habit of sucking the contents out of an egg without breaking the shell.]
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.weasel word - an equivocal qualification; a word used to avoid making an outright assertion
reservation, qualification - a statement that limits or restricts some claim; "he recommended her without any reservations"
Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content.
?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link 		Feedback
Add definition
Mentioned in?  References in periodicals archive?   Dictionary browser?   Full browser?
 
According to this popular keynote speaker and radio and TV commentator, we should avoid using weasel phrases such as, "I don''t disagree.
Good Communicators Avoid Using Weasel Phrases Such as "I Don't ... by Dr. Gary Goodman / Business community
Byline: PHILIP WARREN POLITICAL correctness is a weasel phrase derived from an illegitimate conjunction of two words, rendering it meaningless or sucking out its meaning, as a weasel sucks out the contents of an egg.
Letter: A new concept in British jurisprudence; Voice of the North by The Journal (Newcastle, England)
 
 
 
Dictionary, Thesaurus, and Translations
?

Terms of Use | Privacy policy | Feedback | Advertise with Us | Copyright © 2012 Farlex, Inc.
Disclaimer
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.