pre·var·i·cate

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• pre|var|i|cate — «pree VAR uh kayt», intransitive verb, cat|ed, cat|ing. 1. to turn aside from the truth in speech or action; lie. 2. to speak evasively; equivocate. ╂[< Latin praevāricārī make a sham accusa …   Useful english dictionary

• pre — pre·abdomen; pre·acanthella; pre·adamitism; pre·adapt; pre·adaptation; pre·adaptive; pre·admission; pre·adolescence; pre·adult; pre·agonal; pre·am·bu·lar; pre·am·bu·late; pre·amp; pre·amplifier; pre·animism; pre·apprehension; pre·arrange;… …   English syllables

• cate — ab·di·cate; ad·ju·di·cate; ad·vo·cate·ship; af·fri·cate; alem·bi·cate; al·lo·cate; al·ter·cate; alu·mi·no·sil·i·cate; ar·sen·i·cate; athe·cate; aus·pi·cate; au·then·ti·cate; bac·cate; be·a·tif·i·cate; bipli·cate; ca·ly·cate; ca·non·i·cate;… …   English syllables

• var — ba·var·dage; bol·i·var; bo·li·var·i·an; bou·le·var·dier; bou·var·dia; cal·var·ia; cal·var·i·al; cal·var·i·um; chak·ra·var·tin; circ·o·var·i·an; cla·var·ia; cla·var·i·a·ce·ae; cul·ti·var; di·var·i·ca·tion; di·var·i·ca·tor; el·in·var; Form·var;… …   English syllables

• prevaricate — pre·var·i·cate …   English syllables

• prevaricate — pre•var•i•cate [[t]prɪˈvær ɪˌkeɪt[/t]] v. i. cat•ed, cat•ing to speak falsely, misleadingly, or so as to avoid the truth; deliberately misstate; equivocate; lie • Etymology: 1575–85; < L praevāricātus, ptp. of praevāricārī to straddle… …   From formal English to slang

• prevaricate — pre|var|i|cate [ prı verı,keıt ] verb intransitive FORMAL to avoid saying or doing something because you want to cause a delay or hide the truth ╾ pre|var|i|ca|tion [ prı,verı keıʃn ] noun uncount …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

• prevaricate — pre|var|i|cate [prıˈværıkeıt] v [I and T] formal [Date: 1500 1600; : Latin; Origin: , past participle of praevaricari to leave a straight course , from varicari to spread the legs apart ] to try to hide the truth by not answering questions… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

• Prevaricate — Pre*var i*cate, v. t. To evade by a quibble; to transgress; to pervert. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

• Prevaricate — Pre*var i*cate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Prevaricated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Prevaricating}.] [L. praevaricatus, p. p. of praevaricari to walk crookedly, to collude; prae before + varicare to straddle, fr. varicus straddling, varus bent. See {Varicose}.] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English