prevaricate

[pri-var-i-keyt]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR prevaricate ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object), pre·var·i·cat·ed, pre·var·i·cat·ing.

to speak falsely or misleadingly; deliberately misstate or create an incorrect impression; lie.

Origin of prevaricate

1575–85; < Latin praevāricātus, past participle of praevāricārī to straddle something, (of an advocate) collude with an opponent's advocate, equivalent to prae- pre- + vāricāre to straddle, derivative of vārus bent outwards, bow-legged

Related formspre·var·i·ca·tion, nounpre·var·i·ca·tive, pre·var·i·ca·to·ry

[pri-var-i-kuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] /prɪˈvær ɪ kəˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i/, adjectiveun·pre·var·i·cat·ing, adjective

Synonyms for prevaricate

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR prevaricate ON THESAURUS.COM

evade, shift.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for prevaricate

cavil, shuffle, invent, misrepresent, lie, equivocate, fib, falsify, garble, dodge, tergiversate, distort, palter, hedge, exaggerate, fabricate, shift, evade, belie, quibble

Examples from the Web for prevaricate

Contemporary Examples of prevaricate

They can dodge or prevaricate or just hang up when dealing with a voice on the phone.
Florida’s Midterm Warm Up
Ben Jacobs
March 11, 2014

Historical Examples of prevaricate

He does not shuffle or prevaricate, dodge or skulk; but is honest, upright, and straightforward.
Self-Help
Samuel Smiles
Do you say this to irritate and offend me, or do you prevaricate out of shame?
A Day's Ride
Charles James Lever
It is so hard for him to prevaricate: and it is bitter as death to tell the truth, now.
A War-Time Wooing
Charles King
Florio was vain enough to prevaricate on a matter of this nature.
Shakespeare's Lost Years in London, 1586-1592
Arthur Acheson
He told the truth, just as some boys quibble and prevaricate, simply and naturally.
The Hill
Horace Annesley Vachell

British Dictionary definitions for prevaricate

prevaricate

verb

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

Derived Formsprevarication, nounprevaricator, noun

Word Origin for prevaricate

C16: from Latin praevāricārī to walk crookedly, from prae beyond + vāricare to straddle the legs; compare Latin vārus bent

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

Word Origin and History for prevaricate

1580s, "to transgress," a back formation from prevarication, or else from Latin praevaricatus, past participle of praevaricari "to make a sham accusation, deviate," literally "walk crookedly;" in Church Latin, "to transgress" (see prevarication). Meaning "to speak evasively" is from 1630s. Related: Prevaricated; prevaricating.