English Explanatory Dictionary

prevaricate

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To deviate, transgress; to go astray (from).
  2. To speak or act in a manner that is intentionally ambiguous or evasive; equivocate.
  3. To collude, as where an informer colludes with the defendant, and makes a sham prosecution.
  4. To undertake something falsely and deceitfully, with the purpose of defeating or destroying it.

Pronunciation

/pɹɪˈvaɹɪkeɪt/ /pɹɪˈvæɹɪkeɪt/ /pɹɪˈvɛɹɪkeɪt/ en-us-prevaricate.ogg

Word forms

prevaricate prevaricates prevaricating prevaricated prævaricate

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin praevāricātus, perfect active participle of praevāricor (“to walk crookedly; to play a false or double part”), from prae- + vāricō (“to stand with feet apart, straddle”), from vāricus (“with feet spread apart”); see -ate (verb-forming suffix).

Synonyms

beat about the bush beat around the bush equivocate fabricate fib lie tergiversate waffle evade

Antonyms

direct

Related words

lie

Derived words

prevaricatest prevaricatingly prevarication prevaricator unprevaricating
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