Phrase guide

not to put too fine a point on it

phrase · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /nɒt tʊ ˌpʊt tuː ˌfaɪn ə ˈpɔɪnt ɒn ɪt/
  • General-American: /nɑt tə ˌpʊt tu ˌfaɪn ə ˈpɔɪnt ɑn ət/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

phrase

Meaning 1

Used to apologize for a possibly impolite statement one is making; to put it bluntly; to express it in plain terms.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

A reference to the fact that the speaker is about to say something blunt rather than fine (that is, delicate or subtle).

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: anteeksi ilmaisuni — used to apologize for a possibly impolite statement
  • French: si vous me permettez l'expression — used to apologize for a possibly impolite statement
  • French: pardonnez-moi l'expression — used to apologize for a possibly impolite statement
  • French: passez-moi l'expression — used to apologize for a possibly impolite statement
  • Hungarian: hogy ne mondjam — used to apologize for a possibly impolite statement
  • Polish: mówiąc bez ogródek — used to apologize for a possibly impolite statement
  • Polish: przepraszam za wyrażenie — used to apologize for a possibly impolite statement
  • Turkish: ayıptır söylemesi — used to apologize for a possibly impolite statement