prevaricate

[ pri-var-i-keyt ]
See synonyms for: prevaricateprevaricating on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object),pre·var·i·cat·ed, pre·var·i·cat·ing.
  1. to speak falsely or misleadingly; deliberately misstate or create an incorrect impression; lie.

Origin of prevaricate

1
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

Other words for prevaricate

Other words from prevaricate

  • pre·var·i·ca·tion, noun
  • pre·var·i·ca·tive, pre·var·i·ca·to·ry [pri-var-i-kuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee], /prɪˈvær ɪ kəˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i/, adjective
  • un·pre·var·i·cat·ing, adjective

Words Nearby prevaricate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use prevaricate in a sentence

  • If he wished to prevaricate at all, it was rather to attribute himself to Mrs. Bowen's city in Ohio.

    Indian Summer | William D. Howells
  • The patient tried to prevaricate, but Glory told the truth again, and was reproved once more.

    The Christian | Hall Caine

British Dictionary definitions for prevaricate

prevaricate

/ (prɪˈværɪˌkeɪt) /


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

Origin of prevaricate

1
C16: from Latin praevāricārī to walk crookedly, from prae beyond + vāricare to straddle the legs; compare Latin vārus bent

Derived forms of prevaricate

  • prevarication, noun
  • prevaricator, noun

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