English Dictionary

polite fiction

名詞

慣用表現

(idiomatic) 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.

日本語の意味

真実を皆が認識しているにもかかわらず、争いや恥ずかしさを避けるために、敢えて異なる事実や解釈を信じる、社会的な場面や状況のこと。 / 対立や不快な真実から身を守るために、皆が暗黙の了解として作り上げる、仮の解釈や説明。

After the meeting, the team agreed it was best to keep a polite fiction and tell the client the deadline had been met.

会議の後、チームは建前を保ち、クライアントに締め切りが守られたと伝えることにした。

意味（1）

(idiomatic) 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.

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.

polite fictions （ plural ）