present company excepted
parenthetical phrase · Idiom / expression C2
Plain meaning
a polite joke meaning “I am not criticising the people here”
Exam-register meaning
a socially softening parenthetical used to exclude listeners from a general criticism
In context
naturalMost lawyers are impossible to understand, present company excepted.
examThe phrase “present company excepted” functions as a politeness strategy after a potentially offensive generalisation.
Common collocations
present company exceptedwith present company exceptedjokingly add present company excepted
Watch out
This is conversational and slightly humorous; avoid it in formal essays unless analysing language.