Euphemism Quotes

57 Euphemism quotes by 52 unique authors

The lyric abstrusities of Auden ring mystically down the circular canals of my ear and it begins to look like snow. The good gray conservative… — Sylvia Plath
Euphemism in the workplace does not end with job descriptions. It reaches a pusillanimous peak at the other end of the work process - in… — Nigel Rees
The Japanese tend to communicate via nuance and euphemism, often leaving important things unsaid; whereas Americans tend to think they're being subtle when they refrain… — Dave Barry
To use a Southern euphemism, our space program has been snake-bit. — Al Gore
Euphemisms are not, as many young people think, useless verbiage for that which can and should be said bluntly; they are like secret agents on… — Quentin Crisp
Euphemisms are unpleasant truths wearing diplomatic cologne. — Quentin Crisp
Though intelligence is powerless to modify character, it is a dab hand at finding euphemisms for its weaknesses. — Quentin Crisp
Asymmetrical warfare is a euphemism for terrorism, just like collateral damage is a euphemism for killing innocent civilians. — Alan Dershowitz
To speak specifically of our problem with the Muslim world, we are meandering into a genuine clash of civilizations, and we're deluding ourselves with euphemisms.… — Sam Harris
Euphemism is a human device to conceal the horrors of reality. — Paul Johnson
For one thing, before the 20th century, there were plenty of genocides. We tend to forget about them, partly because they weren't as well documented… — Steven Pinker
Negotiations are a euphemism for capitulation if the shadow of power is not cast across the bargaining table. — George P. Shultz
Patrimonial capitalism's legacy is that many people see reform as a euphemism for corruption and self-dealing. — James Surowiecki
As societies grow decadent, the language grows decadent, too. Words are used to disguise, not to illuminate, action: you liberate a city by destroying it.… — Gore Vidal
Cloud computing is a great euphemism for centralization of computer services under one server. — Evgeny Morozov
Controversial' as we all know, is often a euphemism for 'interesting and intelligent. — Kevin Smith
Do you know what I was smiling at? You wrote down that you were a writer by profession. It sounded to me like the loveliest… — J D Salinger
Do not put statements in the negative form. And don't start sentences with a conjunction. If you reread your work, you will find on rereading… — William Safire
There's a grosser irony about Politically Correct English. This is that PCE purports to be the dialect of progressive reform but is in fact -… — David Foster Wallace
Gratitude is a euphemism for resentment. — Robert A. Heinlein
Some kids get called 'bundles of joy' or 'slices of heaven' or 'dreams come true.' We got 'the fifty-fourth generation of DNA experiments.' Doesn't have… — James Patterson
She started thinking about all the euphemisms for death, all the anxious taboos that had always fascinated her. It was too bad you could never… — Tove Jansson
Kate, perhaps you need to explain to your significant other that he is in no position to give me orders. Last time I checked, his… — Ilona Andrews
Every individual needs revolution, inner division, overthrow of the existing order, and renewal, but not by forcing them upon his neighbors under the hypocritical cloak… — Carl Jung
It hurt, and that is not a euphemism. It hurt like a beating. — John Green

Who Wrote These Euphemism Quotes

52 authors contributed a total of 57 Euphemism Quotes, led by these top contributors: