beat around bush

avoid bypass circumvent conceal deceive dodge elude escape fend off flee get around hide sidestep

baffle balk cavil confuse decline double duck equivocate eschew fence fly fudge hedge lie parry pretend prevaricate pussyfoot shift shirk shuck shuffle shun shy tergiversate trick waffle

beg the question cop out give the runaround keep distance lay low lead on a merry chase pass up put off slip slip out sneak away steer clear of weasel

confront disclose divulge encounter expose face lay bare let out meet open reveal show stay tell uncover

accept aid be honest clear up enlighten explain help order organize release remain tell the truth

take on

babble digress meander wander

amplify blather chatter depart descant divagate diverge drift drivel enlarge expatiate gossip maunder prose protract stray

be diffuse dwell on excurse get off the subject go astray go off on tangent go on and on harp on lose the thread rant and rave rattle on talk nonsense talk off top of head talk randomly

go direct stay

abridge compress condense curtail decrease lessen reduce shorten

be direct