# touching up results



## seitt

Hi

Do you have a word for ‘touching up the results’ of a task? (I.e. falsifying them.)

E.g. if I am a university student and have to carry out an experiment as an assignment but don't get the right results, I might lend a little ‘help’ by touching up the results or falsifying them (just a teeny weeny bit!). Perhaps such a word is also used for ‘creative’ accounting and the like.

I seem to remember a word like μπαλαφούτι, or rather μπαλαφουτίζω, for this.

Best wishes, and many thanks,

Simon


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## Eltheza

Hi seitt!

Just to wish you 'Season's Greetings' and start the ball rolling...

I think the verb you remember could possibly have sexual connotations!

I winder if ρετουσάρω could be used in this way (as in your example)? It seems to be used for photographs in the sense of 'to photoshop' and also with the meaning of 'to put the final touches to something'.

Now the interesting bit starts - the experts' comments!

Very best wishes!


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## sotos

I claim some expertise as I have done this. Yes, μπαλαμούτι and μπαλαμουτιάζω is the slang for this action. Also "πειράζω" (usually in quote marks). More formal words are παραποίηση (v. παραποιώ) and αλλοίωση (v. αλλοιώνω).


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## Eltheza

Hi sotos!

I think we were probably posting at the same time.

Can μπαλαμουτιάζω have a sexual meaning as well? I found it used in this way in a Greek>English slang dictionary.


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## sotos

Yes, it has sexual meaning as well.


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## seitt

Many thanks – I had no idea that μπαλαμουτιάζω had a sexual meaning. So does it mean ‘to touch somebody up’? I.e. to touch a woman’s breasts etc., usually under her clothes?


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## Eltheza

Have a look here, seitt:

http://www.wordreference.com/gren/μπαλαμουτιάζω


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## seitt

Much obliged!


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## Iraklakos

Hello everyone!

You could also use the verb μαγειρεύω, which literally means cook, but is also used like in "cook sth, doctor sth" (especially in "creative accounting"). It can be used both for minor "alterations" to the actual facts, but also for heavier "editing" (the same also goes for πειράζω Sotos mentioned). In order to to be extra clear you could add an adverb like λιγάκι, λίγο etc. 
Παραποιώ and αλλοιώνω on the other hand, are terms I would only use for more serious cases of "cooking". 
As for ρετουσάρω Elzetha was wondering about, I don't think it is accurate in this case because it does not imply messing/tampering with the results/numbers etc. It merely means you add the final touches to make sth better. 

Last but not least μπαλαμουτιάζω also has a passive voice (μπαλαμουτιάζομαι με κάποιον) and means make out with someone (like in: Τους έπιασε ο πατέρας της να μπαλαμουτιάζονται και έγινε έξαλλος.)

Have a nice weekend!


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