| clearing |
| clemency(allowance, forgiveness, mercy, absolution, exoneration) |
| confession(description, regret, clarification, elucidation) |
| cover-up(cause, con, pretense, guise) |
| cover up |
| deception(noun, show, trick, face, sham) |
| decontaminate(verb, relieve, rescue, rid, exempt) |
| diminish(verb, cover, reduce, release, ease) |
| dispense with(verb, phrasal verb, exemption) |
| dodge(noun, verb, withdraw, abandon, trick) |
| echo(noun, answer, response) |
| entreaty(noun, plea) |
| equivocation(noun, slip, shift, escape, routine) |
| exception(noun, dismissal) |
| facade(appearance, show, trick, face, sham) |
| fish story(noun, expression, return, reason, argument) |
| forbear(verb, stop, reduce, release, free) |
| forgive and forget(verb, expression, idiom, grant, pardon) |
| front(appearance, show, cause, face, con) |
| go easy on(verb, expression, idiom, drop, clear) |