white lie

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word white lie. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word white lie, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say white lie in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word white lie you have here. The definition of the word white lie will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofwhite lie, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • Audio (AU)(file)

Noun

white lie (plural white lies)

  1. (idiomatic) A deliberately untrue statement which is intended to produce a favorable result; especially, one which is judged to be better than an overhonest alternative, as for example to remain polite in a superficial social exchange, or to choose one's battles.
    • 1861, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], chapter XIII, in Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe, Edinburgh, London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC, part I, page 239:
      The prevarication and white lies which a mind that keeps itself ambitiously pure is as uneasy under as a great artist under the false touches that no eye detects but his own, are worn as lightly as mere trimmings when once the actions have become a lie.
    • 2008 July 15, Jacqueline Stenson, “The Whole Truth: When is it okay to lie to your kids?”, in Newsweek, retrieved 14 Sept 2017:
      An occasional little white lie such as Weston's probably won't cause any lasting damage. And at times, telling the truth—particularly the whole truth to a child who's not at an age to handle it—may do more harm than good, they say.
    • 2012, “Super Rich Kids”, in channel Orange, performed by Frank Ocean ft. Earl Sweatshirt:
      Too many joy rides in daddy's Jaguar / Too many white lies and white lines
    • 2021, “Hard To Find”, in Parallel World, performed by Cadence Weapon:
      What the next man knows, where the next man goes / Telling white lies ‘bout black folks

Translations

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia