Strangely enough, although we are getting more mealy-mouthed about mental and physical disabilities, we are increasingly frank about bodily functions.
New idioms dictionary. 2014.
Mealy-mouthed — Meal y mouthed , a. Using soft words; not straightforward; plausible; affectedly or timidly delicate of speech; speaking deviously; unwilling to tell the truth in plain language. Opposite of {frank} or {blunt}. Mealy mouthed philanthropies.… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
mealy-mouthed — adj not brave enough or honest enough to say clearly and directly what you really think used in order to show disapproval ▪ Most people felt Mr Major fought a pretty mealy mouthed campaign in which radical ideas were either dropped or blunted … Dictionary of contemporary English
mealy-mouthed — A mealy mouthed person doesn t say what they mean clearly … The small dictionary of idiomes
mealy-mouthed — afraid to say what one really thinks, 1570s; first element perhaps from O.E. milisc sweet, from P.Gmc. *meduz honey (see MEAD (Cf. mead) (n.1)), which suits the sense, but if the Old English word did not survive long enough to be the source of… … Etymology dictionary
mealy-mouthed — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ reluctant to speak frankly. ORIGIN perhaps from German Mehl im Maule behalten carry meal in the mouth (i.e. be unstraightforward in speech), or related to Latin mel honey … English terms dictionary
mealy-mouthed — [mēl′ēmouthd′, mēl′ēmoutht′] adj. not outspoken or blunt; not willing to state the facts in simple, direct words; euphemistic and insincere … English World dictionary
mealy-mouthed — [[t]mi͟ːlima͟ʊðd[/t]] ADJ GRADED (disapproval) If you say that someone is being mealy mouthed, you are critical of them for being unwilling to speak in a simple or open way because they want to avoid talking directly about something unpleasant.… … English dictionary
mealy-mouthed — meal|y mouthed [ ,mili mauðd, ,mili mauθt ] adjective not willing to express yourself in a simple and direct way, usually in order to hide the truth: Spokesmen have been mealy mouthed in defense of the president … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
mealy-mouthed — adjective prone to speaking evasively, indirectly, or duplicitously; not forthright , The surliness with which the woodchopper speaks of his woods, handling them as indifferently as his axe, is better than the mealy mouthed enthusiasm of the… … Wiktionary
mealy-mouthed — A mealy mouthed person doesn t say what they mean clearly. (Dorking School Dictionary) … English Idioms & idiomatic expressions
