Not to say

[Bethany K. Dumas]

>===== Original Message From Seán Fitzpatrick <grendel.jjf at verizon.net> =====
>Here's an idiom question.
>I started to write "the Catholic, not to say Christian, doctrine" and
realized I am not sure which way
NtS swings.  What is the import of the somewhat UKish expression "not to say",
as in "A, not to say B..."?
Is it different from the neutral "not to mention"?

The OED says:

>b. not to say...: used    (a) to imply that the speaker is content with a
more moderate statement than
that which he might have made;    (b) colloq. = ‘not what one may call...’,
‘not..., properly speaking’.<

Bethany