From the deliberately confusing to the downright vague, we all come across language that either seems meaningless or that makes our heads spin.

WEASEL WORDS is a demystification of those words and phrases used to bewilder, befuddle and confuse us, from the estate agent s bijou to the politician s more sinister

waterboarding .

Using contemporary examples, this book sets out those words we find confusing, explains what each word actually means and examines why these words are used the way they are.