to describe lightly; to gloss over issues
Meanings
2 senses · 6 examplesverb
to describe or narrate without much effort; to touch on lightly
Often used in literary or artistic contexts to indicate a cursory treatment of a subject.
He only touched lightly on that past episode in his memoir.
Regarding this accident, the report only gave a brief, cursory description in a few sentences.
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With just a few light strokes, the painter outlined the contours of the distant mountains.
verb
to gloss over important issues when discussing problems; to downplay significant matters
Often implies a deliberate attempt to avoid addressing critical points or to minimize the severity of a situation.
In the face of reporters' questions, the spokesperson only gave a few perfunctory, glossing-over responses.
Regarding the company's financial crisis, the chairman glossed over it lightly in his report.
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Environmental pollution is so serious—how can you just gloss over it and say it's fine?