Not telling the whole truth, especially in order to present a false image of a situation; untruthful; lying. Often used with sarcasm or satire.

Etymology:

  • Believed to be from a quotation by the British-Irish statesman and philosopher Edmund Burke : “Falsehood and delusion are allowed in no case whatever: But, as in the exercise of all the virtues, there is an œconomy of truth. It is a sort of temperance, by which a man speaks truth with measure that he may speak it the longer.”
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I would be being economical with the truth if I were to tell you that I was enjoying myself.

Submitted on September 01, 2009

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    "economical with the truth." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Dec. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/economical-with-the-truth_3447>.

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