prevaricate
Pronunciation
  • (British) IPA: /pɹɪˈvaɹɪkeɪt/
  • (America) IPA: /pɹɪˈvæɹɪkeɪt/, /pɹɪˈvɛɹɪkeɪt/
Verb

prevaricate (prevaricates, present participle prevaricating; past and past participle prevaricated)

  1. (transitive, intransitive, obsolete) To deviate, transgress; to go astray (from).
  2. (intransitive) To shift or turn from direct speech or behaviour; to evade the truth; to waffle or be (intentionally) ambiguous.
    The people saw the politician prevaricate every day.
  3. (intransitive, legal) To collude, as where an informer colludes with the defendant, and makes a sham prosecution.
  4. (legal, UK) To undertake something falsely and deceitfully, with the purpose of defeating or destroying it.
Translations Translations Translations


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