polite fiction

短语

发音

AU

词形变化

polite fictions 复数 polite fictions

释义与例句

n.
  1. 1.

    A social scenario in which all participants are aware of a truth, but pretend to believe in some alternative version of events to avoid conflict or embarrassment.

    习语

    Susan is only able to deal with the fact that her husband has sex with the man down the street through a polite fiction. She knows what her husband is really doing when he says he is going "to buy cigarettes".