dancing around
Skirting the issue
Dancing around something means avoiding direct engagement with it—skirting an issue rather than addressing it head-on.
Someone who dances around a question gives evasive answers.
A report that dances around the real problem never quite names it.
Stop dancing around the subject and tell me what happened.
The image is of movement that approaches but never arrives.
- skirtingAvoiding by going around
- twirlingRapid circular motion
- evadingSkillfully keeping away from
- waltzingDancing in 3/4 time
- spinningRevolving around an axis
prancing · tap dancing · sidestepping · circling · dodging · tiptoeing · swaying · flitting · pirouette · soft shoe · avoiding · hedging · evasive · coy · playing coy · playful · teasing · whirling
- downplayingminimizing, downplay, trivializing, belittling, soft-pedal
- indirectnesscircumlocution, euphemism, hedging, hint, hinting
dancing aroundcutting to the chase
Proceeding to essentials immediately
getting to the point · spelling out · spelling it out · speaking frankly · telling it like it is
dancing aroundtaking the bull by the horns
Confronting a difficulty directly
taking on · dealing with · biting the bullet · facing the music · having it out
dancing arounddiving in
Starting with full commitment
committing · taking the plunge · taking action · getting down to business · cutting to the chase