In this post, we’ll explore how we discuss truths and lies using colorful idiomatic expressions like “come clean,” “pull the wool over someone’s eyes,” and “spill the beans,” among others. We’ll provide context to help you understand how these expressions are used naturally and effectively. Additionally, we’ll review the most common word combinations (collocations) related to truth and lies, and we’ll top it all off with a few exercises to practice the vocabulary. So, read on…

Countability

First off, let’s review whether “truth” and “lie” are countable, uncountable, or both.

“Truth” is typically considered uncountable because it denotes the quality of being true (e.g., “There is some truth in his words”). When we say “the truth,” we’re usually referring to one specific truth, not just any truth. It’s similar to saying “the answer” when there’s only one correct response to a question (e.g., “The truth is I’m very tired”). Also, “the truth” can indicate that there’s only one accurate version of events (e.g., “I want to know the truth”).

Interestingly, there are instances where “truth” can be used in a countable sense, particularly when referring to facts that most people believe to be true. For example, “There are universal truths in this world, like “knowledge is power” or “love conquers all.”

Now, when it comes to “lie,” which is a countable noun, the explanation is much simpler. If there is only one truth, there are multiple lies: “I didn’t tell you any lies.”

Collocations & Idioms

For many years, John lived a lie (1). He pretended to be a loving husband and father while, in fact, he had a mistress and two other children on the side. He never told Amy, his legal wife, the truth (2), but she found it out when she accidentally saw John and his second family in a local mall! For years, he had tried to hide it (3), but as they say, the truth will out (4). Although it was hard for Amy to accept it (5), she refused to swallow another lie (6). She filed for divorce from John right after learning the truth (7) about him. She still doesn’t understand how he could tell her all those elaborate lies (8) for so many years, but that’s probably something she’ll never know.

1. To live a lie – to live in a way that is dishonest because you are pretending to be something that you are not, to yourself or to other people
2. To tell the truth ≠ to tell a lie
3. To hide the truth = to conceal /kənˈsiːl/ / withhold /wɪθˈhəʊld/ the truth
4. The truth will out (saying) – said to show that you believe the truth will always be discovered
5. To accept the truth = to acknowledge /əkˈnɑːlɪdʒ/ / come to terms with the truth
6. To swallow a lie = to believe a lie
7. To learn the truth = to discover the truth
8. (To tell) an elaborate /ɪˈlæbərət/ lie – a very complicated and detailed, carefully prepared and organized lie

More Idioms

The other day, my sister came to my place and said, “I have to come clean about (1) something.” Well, she got me intrigued right away, and I replied, “Come on, spill the beans (2).” She then sat back on the couch, looking very uneasy, and went on to say, “I know that honesty is the best policy (3), but how can I spill my guts to (4) the police, for example, when I’ve been involved in some funny business (5)?” “Honey, I am not the police, and I am not here to judge you. Nothing could be further from the truth (6), actually. I just want to hear you out. So, what funny business?” “Well, my colleague has been stealing from the register for a while, and if truth be told (7), I knew it from the very beginning. In all honesty (8), I wanted to go to the police, but somehow I didn’t, and yesterday I told her that I know about her monkey business (9) and see right through her (10).” She tried to pull the wool over my eyes (11) and said that it had only happened once, but it didn’t ring true (12). I knew that she was trying to bend the facts (13), and finally, she understood that she didn’t have to keep trying to stretch the truth (14). She just told me that she wouldn’t play games (15) with me anymore and offered me $5,000 so that I wouldn’t go to the police or tell the boss. And I took the money! “In all fairness (16), Lucy, that was not your best decision,” I said.

1. To come clean about something – to tell the truth about something that one has kept secret
2. To spill the beans – to tell someone something, often something that should be kept secret
3. Honesty is the best policy (saying) = it’s always better to be honest
4. To spill one’s guts (American slang) – to tell someone everything you know
5. Funny business – dishonest actions or behavior intended to trick someone
6. Nothing could be further from the truth = it’s a complete lie
7. If truth be told = to be honest
8. In all honesty = to tell you the truth  (especially when the truth is not something pleasant to hear)
9. Monkey business – behavior that is not acceptable or is dishonest
10. To see right through someone – to understand the truth about someone
11. To pull the wool over someone’s eyes – to deceive/trick someone
12. To ring true – to give the impression of being true
13. To bend the facts – to say something that is not completely true in order to achieve an aim
14. To stretch the truth – to say something that is not completely honest in order to make someone/something seem better than it/they really is/are
15. To play games – to try to deceive someone
16. In all fairness – used for making your criticism of someone or something seem less strong

Practice

Exercise 1. Click the link here and sort the expressions into 2 categories: those about truth and those about lies.

Exercise 2. Click the link here and choose the right word to complete the sentences.

Exercise 3. Click the link here and type in the right word to complete the sentences.

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