fib

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++fib1 /fɪb/ noun [countable] spoken  LIE/TELL A LIEa small unimportant lie 小谎，无关紧要的谎言 → white lie He’s been known to tell fibs. 他爱撒谎是出了名的。

Examples from the Corpus

fib• You're not telling me a fib, are you?• These numbers may be a bit of a fib.• The Gypsy expressed shock that I could tell such a fib, especially in this sacred place.• He had tackled the twin problems of the Ecclestone fib and the petrol crisis head on-by ignoring them.• So it's very likely she told you a few fibs.• They said they did it, but that was just a little fib.• It was another one of those little fibs, of course, but no matter.• I had to make up some fib about why I was late.• If you're telling fibs, keep them simple, that's the rule, isn't it?• The fibs are of two kinds.tell fibs• If you're telling fibs, keep them simple, that's the rule, isn't it?• His mother says that he sometimes tells fibs.• Now, Martin, you mustn't tell fibs.• I don't know why you tell fibs all the time.fib2 verb (fibbed, fibbing) [intransitive] spoken  LIE/TELL A LIEto tell a small unimportant lie 撒小谎 I think you’re fibbing. 我觉得你在撒谎。 —fibber noun [countable]→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

fib• Puss had decided to fib a little and claim that his master was called the Marquis of Carabas.• Bernie, I fibbed a little, okay?• He fibbed about his age.• When she asked if they wanted to stay for tea, Larry fibbed and said they had a few errands to run.• Not much help to you, I know, but why should I fib and say I walked in?Origin fib1 (1600-1700) Perhaps from fable

fib1 nounfib2 verbChinese  

Corpus lie a small unimportant

fib

I

fib¹ /fɪb/ noun [countable] spokena small unimportant lie ⇨ white lie:
    He’s been known to tell fibs.
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ lie noun [countable] something you say or write that you know is untrue: Would you tell lies to protect a friend? | The allegation is a complete lie.
   ▪ white lie noun [countable] informal a lie that you tell to avoid upsetting someone: We all tell white lies sometimes.
   ▪ fib noun [countable] informal a lie, especially about something that is not very important – used especially by children: Have you been telling fibs?
   ▪ porky noun [countable usually plural] British English informal a lie – a very informal use: He’s been telling porkies again.
   ▪ falsehood noun [countable] formal a statement that is not true, especially one that is intended to give people the wrong idea about someone or something: He described the allegations as malicious falsehoods.
   ▪ untruth noun [countable] formal a lie – used especially when you want to avoid saying the word lie: Some workers go off and tell untruths about the organisations for which they are working.
   ▪ fabrication noun [uncountable and countable] formal a story or claim that someone has invented in order to deceive someone, or the act of doing this: The claim was described as a fabrication by the police prosecutor. | He dismissed the charges as pure fabrication.
   ▪ libel noun [uncountable] law the crime of writing lies that could make people have a bad opinion of someone, especially in a newspaper or magazine: She sued the newspaper for libel. | libel laws
   ▪ slander noun [uncountable and countable] law the crime of speaking lies that could make people have a bad opinion of someone, or an untrue statement which does this: He’s threatening to sue them for slander. | a slander on the good name of the company | Linking his name to terrorism was a slander.

II

fib² verb (past tense and past participle fibbed, present participle fibbing) [intransitive] spoken
to tell a small unimportant lie:
    I think you’re fibbing.
—fibber noun [countable]
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ lie/tell a lie to deliberately tell someone something that is not true: She had lied to protect her son. | Are you accusing me of telling lies?
   ▪ fib verb [intransitive] informal to lie, especially about something that is not very important – used especially by children: Dan’s fibbing. I didn’t hit him.
   ▪ make something up/invent something to invent a story, explanation etc in order to deceive someone: I didn’t want to go so I made up an excuse and said I was busy. | He invented the tale to prevent his parents from finding out the truth.
   ▪ mislead verb [transitive] to make someone believe something that is not true by giving them false or incomplete information: The government misled the public over the war.
   ▪ be economical with the truth to only tell someone part of the truth – often used when saying indirectly that someone is lying: He admitted that he had perhaps been economical with the truth.
   ▪ perjure yourself/commit perjury to tell a lie in a court of law: He had perjured himself in court. | Witnesses will be prosecuted if they commit perjury.