to be an understatement
1understatement — UK US /ˌʌndəˈsteɪtmənt/ noun [C or U] ► a statement that something is much smaller, much less important, or much less serious than it really is: »It s an understatement to say the workers are worried about their futures. with understatement »The… …
2Understatement — is a form of speech in which a lesser expression is used than what would be expected. This is not to be confused with euphemism, where a polite phrase is used in place of a harsher or more offensive expression.Understatement is a staple of humor… …
3understatement — [œndœʀstɛtmənt] n. m. ÉTYM. V. 1960; mot angl. (1799), de under « au dessous », et statement « assertion ». ❖ ♦ Anglic. Affirmation en dessous de la vérité; litote. REM. Terme surtout employé par évocation d une forme d humour et de diplomatie… …
4Understatement — Un der*state ment, n. The act of understating, or the condition of being understated; that which is understated; a statement below the truth. [1913 Webster] …
5understatement — noun conservative estimate, grossly inadequate representation, minimization, misrepresentation, underestimation, undervaluation Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …
6understatement — 1799, from UNDER (Cf. under) + STATEMENT (Cf. statement). Understated, with ref. to clothing, is recorded from 1957 …
7understatement — /andersˈte(i)tment, ingl. ˌʌndəˈsteɪtmənt/ [vc. ingl., deriv. di to understate «attenuare, minimizzare»] s. m. inv. attenuazione, minimizzazione □ discrezione, sobrietà CONTR. esagerazione, enfasi, ostentazione …
8understatement — n. 1) to make an understatement 2) to go in for understatement 3) (misc.) a masterpiece of understatement; the understatement of the year * * * [ˌʌndə steɪtmənt] the understatement of the year (misc.) a masterpiece of understatement to go in for… …
9understatement — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ gross, massive, vast ▪ ‘A little strange’ is a gross understatement. ▪ typical ▪ with typical British understatement …
10understatement — [[t]ʌ̱ndə(r)steɪtmənt[/t]] understatements 1) N COUNT If you say that a statement is an understatement, you mean that it does not fully express the extent to which something is true. To say I m disappointed is an understatement... He was getting… …
