Dictionary

bend the truth en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) To change or leave out certain facts of a story or situation, generally in order to elicit a specific response in the audience.
   • In relating the story to Julie, he decided to bend the truth just enough to make her think he had really been in danger.
   • In his warped attempt to bend the truth completely out of shape, .... 1991 May 24, Larry Kahhan, “Gun-control groups shouldn't hail Brady Bill too early”, in Atlanta Journal Constitution, Letters to the Editor:
   • KGB had always been on the lookout for hard facts, but then reported those facts to people besotted with a dream, who then bent the truth in the service of that dream. When the truth had finally broken through, the dream had suddenly evaporated like a cloud of steam in a high wind, and reality had poured in like the flood following the breakup of an icebound river in springtime. 2001, Tom Clancy, The Bear and the Dragon:
   • In a Feb. 5 column, Dottie Lamm seemed quite happy to bend the truth in all directions 1995 February 23, “Letters to the Post”, in Denver Post, Denver & the West, page B-06:

Forms

Relateds

lie · stretch the truth

Translations (17)

cmn 歪曲事實 /歪曲事实 (change or leave out certain facts of a story) · cmn 扭曲事實 /扭曲事实 (change or leave out certain facts of a story) · fr déformer la vérité (change or leave out certain facts of a story) · ru искажа́ть и́стину/пра́вду (change or leave out certain facts of a story) · de sich die Wahrheit zurechtbiegen (change or leave out certain facts of a story) · cmn 歪曲事实 (change or leave out certain facts of a story) · nl de waarheid verdraaien (change or leave out certain facts of a story) · vi bẻ cong sự thật (change or leave out certain facts of a story) · ko 진실을 왜곡하다 (change or leave out certain facts of a story) · cmn 扭曲事实 (change or leave out certain facts of a story) · pt distorcer a realidade (change or leave out certain facts of a story) · pl naginać prawdę (change or leave out certain facts of a story) · fi venyttää totuutta (change or leave out certain facts of a story) · hy խեղաթյուրել իրականությունը (change or leave out certain facts of a story) · it dire una mezza verità (change or leave out certain facts of a story) · cs ohýbat pravdu (change or leave out certain facts of a story) · es falsear (change or leave out certain facts of a story)