The Tuesday afternoon meeting was a "plenary session," in diplomatic parlance, meaning that a large delegation was present on each side.

The Secretary of State's remarks "were as close to a direct threat as it was possible to come in diplomatic parlance."

A United States official said the reference in the draft resolution was, "in diplomatic parlance, a warning that economic sanctions could follow if North Korea fails to comply."

Such trips are less than popular among diplomats because every "codel," as they are called in diplomatic parlance, must be met by a Foreign Service officer.

The most likely victims are known in diplomatic parlance as "soft targets," Americans who mingle in the local community.

Washington has proposed changing the name so that instead of being called a conference it would be called an organization, which in diplomatic parlance indicates more heft.

In diplomatic parlance, there are supposed to be just two types of high-level dinners, which are really just two cannon blasts apart, and both feature elaborate meals.

In Japanese diplomatic parlance, that means before the arrival of President Kim Dae Jung of South Korea.

His title will be apostolic administrator, roughly equivalent to charge d'affaires in diplomatic parlance.

I'm not knocking wriggle, which - when followed by out in diplomatic parlance - vividly calls up the picture of sneaky evasion by artifice.