Paint with a Broad Brush

Paint (something/someone) with a broad brush (also use a broad brush)

To describe or consider someone or something in a very general way, without paying attention to small details or differences.

I hate to paint all young men with the same broad brush, but it’s true.
His narratives are lacking in subtlety; he uses a broad brush.

He called the report flawed, saying it relied on incomplete data: “To paint with such a broad brush is unfair,” he said.
You have to be aware that using a broad brush, you’re going to miss some really important differences.
I would not want to shut the door in someone’s face simply because he is an ex-felon. I don’t think we can use a broad brush.
With a broad brush, it makes everyone who cares about animals look like an extremist.
He wields a broad brush, heaping blame on Republicans and Democrats alike.
It’s amazing because you’re a really fast talker, and I hate these broad brushes, but most Canadians don’t talk half as fast as you do.

 

Page Description

Discover the meaning of ‘paint with a broad brush,’
an idiom that describes making generalizations
or oversimplifications
without attention to detail.

Phrases like “be blunt” and “painting with broad strokes” convey the idea of a straightforward or simplified approach without delving into intricate details, aligning more closely with the Dutch expression.

Kort door de bocht” in Dutch does carry that sense of not only being simplified but potentially leading to a misunderstanding or presenting an overly simplified or inaccurate picture. It’s a useful nuance to consider when conveying a similar idea in English. Expressions like “to be blunt” or “painting with broad strokes” can capture that sense of simplicity with a potential warning about accuracy or completeness.

Appelen met citroenen vergelijken” in Dutch can be translated to “comparing apples and oranges” in English. This expression is used to convey the idea that two things being compared are fundamentally different and should not be compared directly because of their dissimilarities.

While “kort door de bocht” can also involve simplification or lack of nuance, it may not necessarily imply comparing inherently different things, as “comparing apples and oranges” does. However, both expressions suggest a need for caution when making direct comparisons or generalizations.

Post Office Horizon scandal victim lays into demolition of Post Office in Select Committee

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27 feb 2024

Former sub-postmaster and founder of the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance Alan Bates gave evidence to the Business Select Committee this afternoon and didn’t hold back on the long lasting effects of the Horizon IT scandal.

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