Managed tag
Entries relating to politeness.
Suggested home: Social life & etiquette / Politeness & apologies
Explore the connection
Filtered dictionary
An automatic apology issued by the injured party, regardless of who caused the actual injury.
Read full entry →A polite, entirely fraudulent display of comprehension performed to avoid a fifth explanation of what a googly is.
Read full entry →The quiet act of a delivery driver documenting your absence despite you being three feet away in the shower.
Read full entry →A frustrating, hunger-inducing standoff where both parties insist they 'don't mind' until everywhere is closed.
Read full entry →The painful, throat-straining effort to maintain professional politeness when your body is desperately demanding oxygen.
Read full entry →A uniquely British hostage situation where neither party will accept fault, but both desperately want the last word of contrition.
Read full entry →A desperate, barefoot scramble down the hallway to intercept a courier who knocks exactly once and starts running away.
Read full entry →The polite, written equivalent of tapping on a sign, translating directly to 'I already answered this, you absolute clown.'
Read full entry →A polite managerial silencing tactic used to stop a difficult topic from being discussed in front of the rest of the team.
Read full entry →The distinctly British instinct to seek forgiveness from the very person who just assaulted your personal space in a pub.
Read full entry →The intense regret of initiating a polite gesture too early, trapping yourself in an awkward stance for twenty seconds.
Read full entry →The masochistic British habit of rejecting food you crave, solely to appear generous and well-mannered.
Read full entry →The polite but exhausting performance of amusement deployed when your boss is terrible at recounting anecdotes.
Read full entry →A diplomatic shutdown phrase used to placate an idiot while firmly ensuring their idea never sees the light of day.
Read full entry →The pathetic, culturally ingrained need to ask for forgiveness when asserting your basic consumer rights.
Read full entry →A polite managerial silencing tactic used to stop two nerds arguing about a minor technical detail.
Read full entry →The polite, written equivalent of tapping on a sign, pointing out that you already answered their stupid question.
Read full entry →A corporate fabrication designed to cover up the fact that you read the message, hated it, and ignored it until guilt set in.
Read full entry →The polite but highly dangerous tilting of canopies on a narrow pavement to avoid taking out a stranger's eye.
Read full entry →A pathetic, groveling opening sentence used by people terrified of taking up space in a colleague's inbox.
Read full entry →The highly intimate, involuntary physical contact required to reach the bar in a crowded establishment.
Read full entry →Rejecting hospitality purely out of manners, while desperately hoping the host asks a fourth time so you can say yes.
Read full entry →The deeply ingrained, entirely irrational British reflex to ask forgiveness from the person who just assaulted your toes.
Read full entry →A completely hollow, venomous apology offered purely to end an argument while making it clear you still think you are right.
Read full entry →The dictionary is still being written
Submit it directly for editorial review, without designing a card first.