(n.) A diminution or softening of statement for the sake of avoiding censure or increasing the effect by contrast with the moderation shown in the form of expression; as, " a citizen of no mean city," that is, of an illustrious city.
Example Sentences:
(1) Overuse, of course, might be a problem, but if I were an editor I would also write a shouty note if I discovered that my writers were routinely overusing pre-digital-age and perfectly grown-up words such as litotes and plinth.
Overstatement
Definition:
(n.) An exaggerated statement or account.
Example Sentences:
(1) It is shown that the overstatement can be quite substantial.
(2) This error has as a consequence an overstatement of the precision of the study, resulting in incorrect P values which indicate a greater measure of statistical significance than the data warrant.
(3) The overstatement was roughly triple Toshiba’s initial estimate.
(4) For every person who takes the fantasy seriously – to call it a prophecy is an overstatement – scores more find it harmless fun.
(5) It is not an overstatement to say we have a brewing crisis.” Placing Bannon on the NSC, with his lack of national security experience, was a “radical” step, Rothkopf said, as the former Breitbart media chairman had shown himself to hold “racist, misogynist and Islamophobic” views.
(6) It is not an overstatement to say that PG&E has the contrition of Charlie Manson – that is to say, it has none.” The NBNCo spokesman said any questions relating to PG&E “should be referred to PG&E”.
(7) These Super Sunday-ish collisions are so often presented in a farrago of swirling overstatement – seasons defined, destiny shaped, lives ruined, civilisations decimated – but Wenger will take encouragement from this performance.
(8) Inurse a deep respect for the person who says the incredibly unpopular thing at a public meeting, even while I'm hissing at them (that's an overstatement – I would never hiss).
(9) Photograph: PR The asking price is less than a tenth of the £263m profit overstatement that has thrown Tesco into turmoil.
(10) Related to the overstatement is a general failure to acknowledge that society does not always change for the worse.
(11) He dismissed the idea that fraud may have been involved in the accounting blunder: “Nobody gained financially as a consequence of the overstatement of performance.” Pending that outcome Tesco has withheld the near £1m payment due to be paid to Laurie McIlwee, the former finance director who resigned in April.
(12) Lewis dismissed the idea that fraud was involved in the accounting blunder: “Nobody gained financially as a consequence of the overstatement of performance.” Lewis said the discovery of the accounting irregularities had been a “body blow”, but the completion of the Deloitte report “drew a line” under the issue from the company’s perspective – although it would support the FCA as it gathered evidence.
(13) It desperately needs to avoid pantomime and overstatement.
(14) The world's biggest accounting scandals Read more Tanaka and Sasaki knew about the profit overstatement and created a pressurised corporate culture that prompted business heads to manipulate figures to meet targets, the investigators said in their report.
(15) Bailey said Tesco’s overstatement was a “stratospheric error”, adding that any inquiry could be extended to the wider UK grocery industry.
(16) That was an overstatement of the report's findings in relation to Mr Cohen.
(17) Tesco executives could face a parliamentary committee over its overstatement of profits, the select committee chairman told the BBC on Thursday.
(18) This pointed to the difficulties in the differential diagnosis of measles and other exanthema diseases, and led to the overstatement of the recorded measles foci and cases, particularly among the vaccinated.
(19) Improper accounting at Toshiba included overstatements and booking profits early or pushing back the recording of losses or charges.
(20) Much is known about this disease and it is probably not an overstatement to say that there are more data regarding the molecular and biological events underlying CML than any other human cancer.