IELTS Vocabulary
Being economical with the truth — not telling the whole truth, keeping some details back.
Sentence – In insisting that no changes had been made to the original plan, his team was being economical with the truth.
An untruth — a lie, but less harsh than calling something a lie directly.
Sentence – I wasn’t convinced by the minister’s nice distinction between a lie and an untruth.
A grain of truth — used when a story or report is false but a small part of it is true.
Sentence – Although it contains a grain of truth, this theory rather radically misses the mark.
To be smitten — to be in love with someone.
Sentence – Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?
A white lie — a lie told to avoid upsetting someone.
Sentence – What’sthe difference between a white lie and a lie? I mean, it’s all the same to me.
The truth will out — used to say that someone will find out the truth about something, even if you try to hide it.
Sentence – The facts will be known, as in She thought she could get away with it, but truth will out, and I’m sure she’ll get caught .
Mutual trust — a shared feeling of trust between two or more people.
Sentence – The traditional friendship, good neighborliness, mutual trust, mutually beneficial cooperation and generations of friendliness between China and Asian neighbors are gaining increasing popularity.
Position of trust — a responsible position which usually involved having power that you are trusted to use correctly.
Sentence – The staff have a position of trust; they stand in loco parentis to all the children for whom they are responsible.
To cut ties — to stop communicating with someone and end any formal relationship.
Sentence – Mary cut all ties with her family when she moved to New York City.
To spin — to present information in a different way and make it seem better.
Sentence – I could see the room beginning to spin as though I had had a dreadful shock or a moment of unbearable fear.
Web of lies — a complicated set of lies.
Sentence – They accused him of weaving a web of lies and deceit.
Elaborate — very detailed and complicated.
Sentence – She adopted an elaborate disguise to help her pass through the town unrecognized.
Transparent — simple, clear and easy to understand.
Sentence – He carefully stripped away the transparent paper and took out a valuable stamp.
A motive — the reason that you do something.
Sentence – Such a motive had always existed throughout the world in business transactions.
