whether it is a “lie” or not is interesting but it IS permitted to lie for darchei shalom. although to do it in a lumbdish way to limit the “lyingness” is certainly a mailah.
it is certainly permitted to lie when your wife asks you if she looks fat in thais dress (and she does).
by the way the word thais occurs when you continue typing while trying to decide whether you want to type the word this or the word that.