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High-Intermediate Level - What are Euphemisms?

Average: 4 (7 votes)
Fri, 02/19/2010 - 09:08 — Chris McCarthy

Euphemisms are words or expressions we use when we don't want to be too direct. Sensitive subjects can be talked about using euphemisms. For example, it can be too direct to say "His grandmother died", so instead we say "His grandmother passed away". Here we can see that pass away is a euphemism for die. Although euphemisms are often used to be polite, they can also be very casual and humourous. For example, "pushing up daisies" is a slang euphemism for death, "His grandmother is pushing up daisies"!

Take a look at euphemisms and try and work out the correct definition.

1 - Powder my nose
2 - In the family way
3 - Kick the bucket
4 - The big C
5 - Stretch the truth
6 - In-between jobs
7 - Let go
8 - Big-boned
9 - Tired and emotional
10 - Pre-owned

How to use understatement

  • 1 - Powder my nose: "I just need to powder my nose before we leave".





  • 2 - In the family way: "I heard that Jane is in the family way again. That'll be her third.





  • 3 - Kick the bucket: "That horrible old guy has finally kicked the bucket. I won't miss him."





  • 4 - The big C: "She got the results back from the hospital. Bad news - she has the big C."





  • 5 - Stretch the truth: "Politicians often stretch the truth especially when making election promises."





  • 6 - In-between jobs: "I'm actually in-between jobs at the moment. I'm sure I'll find one soon."





  • 7 - Let go: "My company plans to let go 100 workers unless business improves."





  • 8 - Big-boned: "That shop doesn't sell clothes for big-boned women."





  • 9 - Tired and emotional: "He was described as being tired and emotional when the police found him in the street at 4am."





  • 10 - Pre-owned: "I bought a pre-owned car."









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Comments

Fri, 02/19/2010 - 09:53 — ynastia

Euphemisms

1 mistake in 9 was made. Thank you.

Fri, 02/19/2010 - 14:10 — Euge

Although the contexts give

Although the contexts give quite clear answers, it took time to decide about 7. Anyway - 100% correct!!! Yahoo!!!

And "divored" in 2....probably a mistype, isn't it?

Fri, 02/19/2010 - 14:35 — Chris McCarthy

Yes, that's right. It should

Yes, that's right. It should be (and now is) divorced.

Thanks for pointing it out.

Chris

Fri, 02/19/2010 - 14:29 — rahel

Euphemisms

Hi everybody,

I made only 2 mistakes:
- kick the bucked (Recently Michael J. have kicked the bucked)
- tired and emotional (It is not allowed to drive the car tired and emotional).

Thank you for lesson.
rahel

Fri, 02/19/2010 - 15:35 — Yura

Excellent Lesson!!! I like

Excellent Lesson!!! I like it very much! It was so interesting to learn new vocabulary!!! Applause
Alas! Two mistakes! The first two sentences... Worried
I have never gone out without powdering my nose( I can't imagine that it is a bathroom????) Worried
And the second one - I thought "marriage"' would be more suitable... Worried
Thank you for the Lesson! Smile

Fri, 02/19/2010 - 16:32 — meldron

Thanks for the interesting expressions!

I made two mistakes in the 1-st and the 3-rd sentence. I thought that powder my nose means to put on make-up. And I chose to leave insted of to die.

Fri, 02/19/2010 - 19:25 — laylamso

In the family way

I made one mistake on number 2. Actually the right answer was my first guess 'pregnant'. Then I think..Well! it doesn't seem embarrasing or not polite although in some cultures people afraid of envy or 'evil eye' when someone count their children. So,I think it may be sensitive. Thinking

Sat, 02/20/2010 - 15:30 — kristin b

Great new euphemisms

I really like these exercises - they give me new vocabulary. Several of them I've never heard before.

I got all of them correct, but only because of the example sentences which put the expressions into a context.
The word euphemisms is also new for me.
Thank you!

Sun, 02/21/2010 - 13:34 — Krystyna

Kick the bucket

Hello,

It seems to me that "Kick the bucket" does not belong to polite expressions and I should not use it if I want to be polite.Is it true?

Krystyna

Tue, 03/02/2010 - 23:45 — bender

True

If you want to be polite and respectful then use "pass away" in whatever form is needed. You can also use "late": Your late husband was a very kind man.

If you are being light-hearted about the subject of death or someone dying, then you can use "kick(ed) the bucket".

Mon, 08/23/2010 - 08:37 — ChrisCooper

Last time someone went to

Last time someone went to powder their nose i caught them in my bathroom with a line of powder on top of one of my new modern radiators ie it had a nice flat chrome top.

I showed them the door. Luckily the powder didn't stain or scratch.

Tue, 07/26/2011 - 06:59 — Manish2811

Euphemisms

1.It's rather polite to call him big boned than fat.;)

2.Justin doesn't have enough money to buy a brand new car .I think he should go for a pre-owned car.It does fit in his budget too .

3.Peter was over the moon when he got to know that his wife is in the family way .<:P

4.I'm not exactly lying,i'm jus streching the truth,''said kane"

Useful and interesting information 

Thanks for the lesson :)