Wiktionary - Recent changes [en]: weasel word

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weasel word Aug 30th 2012, 18:45 ‎English: somewhat incorrect ← Older revision Revision as of 18:45, 30 August 2012 Line 5: Line 5:       # {{pejorative}} A word used to qualify a statement so as to make it potentially misleading.   # {{pejorative}} A word used to qualify a statement so as to make it potentially misleading. − #: '''1900''' "Weasel words are words that suck all of the life out of the words next to them just as a weasel sucks an egg and leaves the shell." + #* '''1900'''. ''Century Magazine'', quoted in ''Facts on File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins'' by Robert Hendrickson (New York: Facts on File Publications, 1987)). − #: Century Magazine, quoted in ''Facts on File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins'' by Robert Hendrickson (New York: Facts on File Publications, 1987)). + #*: '''Weasel words''' are words that suck all of the life out of the words next to them just as a weasel sucks an egg and leaves the shell. − #: '''1916''' „You can have ''universal training'' or you can have ''voluntary training'', but when you use the word ''„voluntary"'' to qualify the word ''„universal"'', you are using a ''weasel word''; it has sucked all the meaning out of ''„universal"''. The two words flatly contradict each other." - Woodrow Wilson<ref>Paragraph and quote according to Christoph Gutknecht: ''Lauter böhmische Dörfer: Wie die Wörter zu ihrer Bedeutung kamen'', 2004, Seiten 84-86, online unter (Google Book, BuchID = 2mRowVUFP1oC, S. 84)</ref> + #* '''1916''', Woodrow Wilson<ref>Paragraph and quote according to Christoph Gutknecht: ''Lauter böhmische Dörfer: Wie die Wörter zu ihrer Bedeutung kamen'', 2004, Seiten 84-86, online unter (Google Book, BuchID = 2mRowVUFP1oC, S. 84)</ref> − + #*: "You can have ''universal training'' or you can have ''voluntary training'', but when you use the word ''voluntary'' to qualify the word ''universal'', you are using a '''weasel word'''; it has sucked all the meaning out of ''universal''. The two words flatly contradict each other." - − {{examples-right|sense=weasel word|examples=''potentially'' misleading.}}   −   − ====Usage notes====   − Generally used in the plural.         ====Synonyms====   ====Synonyms==== Line 17: Line 17:       ===Verb===   ===Verb=== − {{infl|en|verb}}[[Category:English verbs that lack inflection template]] + {{en-verb|inf=[[weasel]]-[[word]]}}       # To use weasel words.   # To use weasel words. − #: '''1979''' "Now Sears looked down at the person fate had put closer to him than anyone else in the world, and knew that Ricky was thinking that he had weasel-worded his way out of the last queastion." + #* '''1979''', Peter Straub, ''Ghost Story'' − #: ''Ghost Story'' by Peter Straub. + #*:Now Sears looked down at the person fate had put closer to him than anyone else in the world, and knew that Ricky was thinking that he had '''weasel-worded''' his way out of the last question.       ===References===   ===References===

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