hedgings
Verbal escape hatches
Hedgings is the plural of hedging, which refers to protective measures against risk or loss.
In finance, hedgings are strategies that offset potential losses—buying options to protect stock positions, for instance.
The word also covers the verbal practice of qualifying statements to avoid commitment: His hedgings made it impossible to know where he actually stood on the issue.
Words limiting scope
- caveatsCautionary stipulations attached
- disclaimersStatements denying responsibility
- equivocationAmbiguous language avoiding commitment
- vaguenessAbsence of precision
softeners · mitigators · conditionals · weasel words · imprecision · ambiguity · reservations · provisos
Things derived from another
- futuresContracts for future delivery
- optionsAvailable courses of action
- swapsMutual trades
- collarsGarment neck portions
puts · calls · forwards · spreads · straddles · risk mitigation · short selling · diversification
Cutting away excess
- shapingGiving something its form
- pruningCutting vegetation for health
- topiaryShaped shrub sculpture
- clippingPiece cut out
shears · boxwood · privet · garden borders · formal gardens · espalier · cutting back · manicuring
Moving aside to avoid
- dodgingAvoiding by moving aside
- wafflingEvasive, indecisive speech
- fence-sittingRefusing to take sides
- noncommittalNot expressing clear opinion
deflecting · stalling · prevaricating · circumlocution · obfuscation · backing off · escape clauses · loopholes
qualifiers
Words limiting scope
- caveatsCautionary stipulations attached
- disclaimersStatements denying responsibility
- equivocationAmbiguous language avoiding commitment
vagueness · softeners · mitigators · conditionals · weasel words · imprecision · ambiguity · reservations · provisos · modifiers
derivatives
Things derived from another
collars · puts · calls · forwards · spreads · straddles · risk mitigation · short selling · diversification · arbitrage
trimming
Cutting away excess
clipping · shears · boxwood · privet · garden borders · formal gardens · espalier · cutting back · manicuring · sculpting
sidestepping
Moving aside to avoid
- dodgingAvoiding by moving aside
- wafflingEvasive, indecisive speech
- fence-sittingRefusing to take sides
noncommittal · deflecting · stalling · prevaricating · circumlocution · obfuscation · backing off · escape clauses · loopholes · plausible deniability
hedgingsdeclarations
Explicit formal statements
assertions · proclamations · commitments · pronouncements · straight talk
hedgingsspeculations
Unverified theories or guesses
risk-taking · going all in · doubling down · bold moves · betting the farm
hedgingscertainties
Assured truths
assurances · guarantees · affirmations · confirmations · absolutes
- hedging one's betsReducing exposure to loss
- hedging betsReducing risk exposure