flannelling
noun
[ ˈflanəlɪŋ ]
• the use of bland fluent talk to avoid addressing a difficult subject or situation directly.
• "no amount of well-intentioned flannelling by politicians can prevent an economy from sliding into recession"
flannel
verb
• use bland fluent talk to avoid addressing a difficult subject or situation directly.
• "he apologised for the situation and then flannelled on about ramping up production"
Similar:
use flattery,
talk blarney,
flatter,
prevaricate,
hedge,
equivocate,
be evasive,
vacillate,
blather,
evade/dodge the issue,
stall,
hum and haw,
waffle,
shilly-shally,
soft-soap,
sweet-talk,
butter someone up,
pussyfoot around,
fast-talk,
tergiversate,
Origin:
Middle English: probably from Welsh gwlanen ‘woollen article’, from gwlân ‘wool’.
