What is "veiled language?"?

Question

I've heard it described something like a passage that "skirts the issue," but is there a solid definition? And what are some examples of it?

Answer 1

Veiled language is when you are afraid to say what you really mean so you put it in a way that isn't so blatant like calling someone "a loose woman" rather than "a w***e".  Or "He's had a few too many" rather than "He's drunk".

Answer 2

Think of how a veil obscures the face.  Well, "veiled language" would obscure the meaning of what a person is saying.  Another synonymous expression is "doublespeak".  This is a tactic used to deceive or influence thinking at least.  For instance, instead of your employer saying that he has to fire 15 workers, he might say the company is "downsizing" and 15 people will be "let go".