Definition & Meaning of "[bend|stretch] the truth"

What is the origin of the idiom "bend the truth" and when to use it?

The idiom "bend the truth" is thought to have originated in the early 17th century. It was first used in print in 1606, in a play by William Shakespeare. In the play, a character says, "I will bend the truth a little out of fashion, to make it more agreeable to your hearing." Over time, this expression came to be used more generally to describe any act of deception or lying. In other words, it is often used to describe someone who is trying to make something sound better than it really is.