prevaricate

pre·var·i·cate (pr

-v

-k

)

intr.v. pre·var·i·cat·ed, pre·var·i·cat·ing, pre·var·i·cates

To stray from or evade the truth; equivocate. See Synonyms at lie².

[Latin praevricr, praevrict- : prae-, pre- + vricre, to straddle (from vricus, straddling, from vrus, bent).]

pre·vari·cation n.

pre·vari·cator n.

prevaricate [prɪˈværɪˌkeɪt]

(intr) to speak or act falsely or evasively with intent to deceive

[from Latin praevāricārī to walk crookedly, from prae beyond + vāricare to straddle the legs; compare Latin vārus bent]

prevarication n

prevaricator n

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Verb

prevaricate - be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information

beat around the bush, equivocate, palter, tergiversate

misinform, mislead - give false or misleading information to

prevaricate

verb evade, lie, shift, hedge, shuffle, dodge, deceive, flannel (Brit. informal), quibble, beg the question, beat about the bush, cavil, equivocate, stretch the truth, palter, give a false colour to British ministers continued to prevaricate on the issue.
be direct, be frank, be straightforward, be blunt, come straight to the point, not beat about the bush

Translations

prevaricate [prɪˈværɪkeɪt] VI → andar con rodeos

prevaricate [prɪˈværɪkeɪt] vi → tergiverser

prevaricate

vi → Ausflüchte machen

prevaricate [prɪˈværɪˌkeɪt] vi → tergiversare

Mentioned in	?		References in classic literature	?		Dictionary browser	?		Full browser	?
beat around the bush dodging equivocate evade evasive fib flannel Haffle hedge Lie lie down lie in lie to lie with Lies mendacity misinform mislead palter	Thinking it professional to prevaricate, he murmured something about a nervous breakdown. Howards End by Forster, E. M. View in context He could not backbite, nor envy, nor prevaricate, nor jump at mean motives for generous acts. The Little White Bird by Barrie, James Matthew View in context I thought of all the suspicious objects scattered about the room, of the probability that he was only putting this question to try my courage, of the very likely chance that he would shoot me forthwith, if I began to prevaricate. A Rogue's Life by Collins, Wilkie View in context	prettily prettiness pretty pretty much pretty up pretty-pretty Pretty-spoken Prettyish prettyism Pretypify pretzel Preussen Prevacid prevail prevailing prevailing party prevailing westerly prevailing wind Prevailingly Prevailment Préval prevalence Prevalency prevalent Prevalently prevaricate prevarication prevaricator Preve prevenance Prevenancy Prevene prevenience prevenient prevent prevent defense Preventability preventable preventative preventer Preventer bolts Preventer stay Preventingly prevention prevention of stripping equipment Preventional preventive preventive attack preventive deployment preventive detention preventive diplomacy	prevalence data Prevalence of Uncontrolled Hypertension prevalence rate prevalence rate prevalence rate prevalence rate prevalence rate prevalence rate prevalence rate Prevalence Rate of Fallers Prevalence Ratio Prevalence to Incidence Prevalence-Adjusted Bias-Adjusted Kappa prevalences prevalences prevalences prevalences prevalences Prevalency prevalent prevalent prevalent prevalent prevalent prevalently prevalently prevalently prevalidation Prevalite Prevalite prevaricate prevaricated prevaricated prevaricated prevaricated prevaricates prevaricates prevaricates prevaricates prevaricating prevaricating prevaricating prevaricating prevarication prevarication prevarication prevarication prevarications prevarications prevaricator prevaricator prevaricator prevaricator Prevaricators Prevaricators prevascular phase Preve Preven Prevenance prévenance Prevenancy

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

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beat around the bush
dodging
equivocate
evade
evasive
fib
flannel
Haffle
hedge
Lie
lie down
lie in
lie to
lie with
Lies
mendacity
misinform
mislead
palter

Thinking it professional to prevaricate, he murmured something about a nervous breakdown.

Howards End by Forster, E. M. View in context

He could not backbite, nor envy, nor prevaricate, nor jump at mean motives for generous acts.

The Little White Bird by Barrie, James Matthew View in context

I thought of all the suspicious objects scattered about the room, of the probability that he was only putting this question to try my courage, of the very likely chance that he would shoot me forthwith, if I began to prevaricate.

A Rogue's Life by Collins, Wilkie View in context

prevaricate playV2('en/US/df/dfsksgdysoddsysldrdos3slh7h3');playV2('en/UK/df/dfsksgdysoddsysldrdos3slh7h3')

prevaricate