The following are euphemisms habitually used in English newspapers, in particular The Daily Telegraph when Hugh Massingberd was obituaries editor.
Convivial Habitually drunk
Did not suffer fools gladly Monstrously foul-tempered
Gave colourful accounts of his exploits A liar
A man of simple tastes A complete vulgarian
A powerful negotiator A bully
Relished the cadences of the English language A crashing bore
A lively conversationalist A crashing bore
Relished physical contact A sado-masochist
An uncompromisingly direct ladies’ man A flasher
A confirmed bachelor Homosexual
He never married A misogynist
She left no close relatives A lesbian
Lived life to the full Drunk
Not always an easy man to live with A wife-beater
A free-spirit Couldn’t hold down a job to save himself
Always had a twinkle in his eye A drooling pervert
Colourful Criminal
Misunderstood A git
A man of large appetites Obese
An original thinker Insane
Marched to the beat of a different drum Heard voices
Lived a quiet life Had no friends
Active in the community A busy-body
Uncomplicated Stupid as a bag of hammers
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