stretch the truth
Meaning: To be truthful technically, but to distort the truth so that others are led to believe something that is not true.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Category: Daily Life
Origin: The expression suggests that one can distort or bend the truth, so that others are misled, without actually telling a lie.
More idioms — Daily Life
- string someone along — To make someone believe something that is not true.
- stuffed shirt — A man who is tiresome, pompous and selfimportant.
- suit someone or something to a t — Perfectly; exactly.
- take a shine to someone or something — To like someone spontaneously.
- take it easy — To relax.
- take off — To leave quickly (sentence 1) or to do well in sales (sentences 2 and 3).
More English idioms
- strike it rich — To make money (sentence 1); or, less literally, to be wildly successful (sentence 2).
- take potluck — To accept whatever is available.
- take someone to the cleaners — To steal or cheat someone out of all of his or her money.
- take something in stride — To accept and adjust to bad fortune or trouble.
- talk a blue streak — To talk fast and at length.
- talk through one's hat — To speak without authority on some topic; to talk nonsense.
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