truth

(a) grain of truth

even the smallest amount of truth. The attorney was unable to find a grain of truth in the defendant's testimony. If there were a grain of truth to your statement, I would trust you.

See also: grain

(the) gospel truth

Fig. the undeniable truth. The witness swore he was telling the gospel truth. I told my parents the gospel truth about how the vase broke.

See also: gospel

Ain't it the truth?

Rur. or Jocular That is true.; Isn't that true? (Used to agree with a statement someone has made.) Jane: I swear, life can be a trial sometimes. Bill: Yes, Lordy. Ain't it the truth?

Children and fools tell the truth.

Prov. Children have not yet learned, and fools never did learn, that it is often advantageous to lie. Fred: What will I tell Ellen when she asks why I'm so late getting home? Alan: Tell her the truth—we were out having a few drinks. Fred: Children and fools tell the truth, Alan.

See also: and, children, fool, tell

economical with the truth

Euph. untruthful. The mayor was known to be economical with the truth. I discovered that my boss had been economical with the truth when she said that the company was making money.

See also: economical

Fact is stranger than fiction, and Truth is stranger than fiction.

Prov. Things that really happen are harder to believe or more amazing than stories that people invent. Did you see the story in the newspaper about the criminal who attacks people with a toenail clipper? Fact is stranger than fiction! Jill: I can't believe someone's paying 900 dollars for Tom's broken-down old car—it doesn't even run. Jane: Truth is stranger than fiction.

See also: fact, stranger

Half the truth is often a whole lie.

Prov. If you do not tell the whole truth, you can mislead people just as if you tell them an outright lie. Jill: You lied to me. Jane: I did not. Everything I said was true. Jill: But you didn't tell me the whole story. And half the truth is often a whole lie.

See also: half, lie, often, whole

Honest to goodness. and Honest to God.; Honest to Pete.

I speak the truth. (Some people may object to the use of God in this phrase.) Did he really say that? Honest to goodness? Honest to Pete, I've been to the South Pole.

See also: goodness, honest

if the truth were known

Prov. if people knew how something really was, instead of how it appears to be. If the truth were known, people wouldn't shop at that store. Its owners aren't as honest as they seem. Sam: You're always polite to Fred, but you don't really like him, do you? Alan: Well, no, if the truth were known.

See also: if, known

Is there any truth to something?

Is something true?; Is what I have heard true? (no truth to in the negative.) Is there any truth to the gossip that Harry is leaving school? No, there is no truth to that at all.

See also: any

liar is not believed (even) when he tells the truth

Prov. If people think that you are a liar, they will not believe anything you say. As it turned out, Fred was right when he warned his friends that the police were planning to raid their party; but they paid no attention to him, since they knew him to be a liar, and a liar is not believed even when he tells the truth.

See also: believe, tell

moment of truth

Fig. the point at which someone has to face the reality of a situation. The moment of truth is here. Turn over your exam papers and begin. Now for the moment of truth when we find out whether we have got planning permission or not.

See also: moment

naked truth

the complete, unembellished truth. Sorry to put it to you like this, but it's the naked truth. I can take it. Just tell me the naked truth.

See also: naked

stretch the truth and stretch the point; stretch it

Fig. to exaggerate. When he claimed to have a Ph.D., he was stretching the truth. Sally tends to stretch the point when telling tales about her wild teenage years.

See also: stretch

Tell the truth and shame the devil.

Prov. to tell the truth even though you have strong reasons for concealing it. Jill: Have you been using my computer without asking permission? Jane: Uh... no.... Jill: Come on, Jane, tell the truth and shame the devil.

See also: and, devil, shame, tell

The greater the truth, the greater the libel.

Prov. It is more offensive to say something damaging and true about someone than it is to tell a damaging lie. Jill: Fred's really upset. Someone's started a rumor that he's unfaithful to his wife. Jane: But it's true. Jill: Yeah, but the greater the truth, the greater the libel.

truth will out

Prov. The truth will always be discovered. (Can be used to remark that someone who had been concealing the truth is now revealing it, as in the second example.) The embezzler may think that someone else will be blamed for his crime, but the truth will out. Ellen: Remember last week, when I told you I bought some shoes? Fred: Yes.... Ellen: Well, before you look at the bill from the shoe store, l ought to tell you that I bought ten pairs. Fred: Aha. The truth will out.

See also: out

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a grain of truth

a small amount of truth There's a grain of truth in what she says but it's greatly exaggerated.

See also: grain

a home truth

if you tell someone a home truth, you tell them an unpleasant fact, usually something bad about themselves (usually plural) It's time someone told that boy a few home truths about his behaviour.

See also: home

be economical with the truth  (humorous)

to not be completely honest about something He was economical with the truth - he gave her a censored account of what was discussed.

See also: economical

the gospel truth

the complete truth I didn't touch your stereo, and that's the gospel truth.

See also: gospel

the moment of truth

the time when someone has to make an important decision or when you can see if something has been successful or not The moment of truth came when I had to decide whether to move in with Jim or get a flat on my own.

See from one moment to the next

See also: moment

Truth will out.  (slightly formal)

something that you say which means the truth will always be discovered They're bound to find out what you've done. Truth will out, you know.

See also: out

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honest to goodness (spoken)

this is really true honest to God I'll be there on Tuesday, honest to goodness!

See also: goodness, honest

in truth (slightly formal)

actually We kept climbing but, in truth, we knew we could not reach the top of the mountain before sunset.

Related vocabulary: as a matter of fact