palter

[ pawl-ter ]

/ ˈpɔl tər /

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See synonyms for palter on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)

to talk or act insincerely or deceitfully; lie or use trickery.

to bargain with; haggle.

to act carelessly; trifle.

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Origin of palter

1530–40 in sense “to speak indistinctly,” perhaps alteration of falter in same sense, with p- from palsy¹

OTHER WORDS FROM palter

pal·ter·er, noun

Words nearby palter

palsgravine, palsied, palstave, palsy, palsy-walsy, palter, Paltrow, paltry, paludal, paludamentum, paludism

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use palter in a sentence

But though his language is calm and restrained, he never condescends to palter with slavery.
Speeches and Letters of Abraham Lincoln, 1832-1865|Abraham Lincoln
But her stainless heart was too proud in virtue to palter and equivocate with circumstances.
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction, Vol. 13, No. 361, Supplementary Issue (1829)|Various
The Chorus hear it too; but they linger and palter, while each gives his grave sentence deliberately in his proper turn.
Guy Livingstone;|George A. Lawrence
Do not think that you should palter with the truth either because it may not be palatable to me, or seem decorous to yourself.
Ayala's Angel|Anthony Trollope

Yancey, speaking for Alabama, refused to palter with any plan not built on the proposition that slavery was in itself right.
History of the United States|Charles A. Beard and Mary R. Beard

British Dictionary definitions for palter

palter

/ (ˈpɔːltə) /

verb (intr)

to act or talk insincerely

to haggle

Derived forms of palter

palterer, noun

Word Origin for palter

C16: of unknown origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

palter

Origin of palter

OTHER WORDS FROM palter

Words nearby palter

Words related to palter

How to use palter in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for palter

Derived forms of palter

Word Origin for palter