fibbing
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: * The act of telling a small, unimportant lie, or of being deliberately unclear or misleading, often to avoid trouble or to be polite.
Usage
"Fibbing" is used to describe the action of telling a fib. It is a less serious term than "lying," often implying a harmless or minor falsehood. It is commonly used in informal contexts, especially when talking about children or in situations where the truth is avoided to spare someone's feelings.
Examples
- Noun:
- Stop your fibbing and tell me what really happened to the cookies.
- A little fibbing about her age seemed harmless to her.
- He was caught in a bit of fibbing about his homework.
Advanced Usage
- "to be given to fibbing": to have a habit of telling small lies.
- The child was often given to fibbing about brushing his teeth.
Variants and Related Words
- Fib (n/verb): The small lie itself, or the act of telling one.
- She told a fib about liking the gift. (noun)
- He fibbed about his whereabouts. (verb)
- Fibber (n): A person who tells fibs.
- Don't be such a fibber; we know the truth.
Synonyms
- Telling a white lie: Stating a falsehood considered harmless or polite.
- Prevaricating: Speaking or acting in an evasive way to avoid the truth.
- Being economical with the truth: A euphemism for not telling the whole truth.
Antonyms
- Telling the truth
- Being forthright
- Being honest
Noun
- a trivial act of lying or being deliberately unclear