| 释义 |
tergiversation|ˌtɜːdʒɪvəˈseɪʃən|
[ad. L. tergiversātiōn-em, n. of action f. tergiversārī: see prec. and -ation.]
1. The action of ‘turning one's back on’, i.e. forsaking, something in which one was previously engaged, interested, or concerned; desertion or abandonment of a cause, party, etc.; apostasy, renegation. Also with a and pl., an instance of this; an act of desertion or apostasy.
1583Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. (1882) 96 Their tergiuersation and backsliding from their duties. 1618G. Mynshul Ess. Prison Ep. Ded., I haue now put my name to my Book (without tergiuersation or turne coating the letters). a1631Donne Serm. (ed. Alford) V. 16 No tergiversation, nor abandoning the noble work he had begun. 1721Amherst Terræ Fil. Pref. (1754) 16 It will be very unreasonable for them to..charge their own fickleness upon those, who..will not join with them in their new counsels and tergiversations. 1878Stubbs Const. Hist. III. xviii. 187 If betrayal or tergiversation is to be imputed to any.
†b. Refusal to obey; recusance. Obs. rare.
1676Owen Worship of God 114 All tergiversation and backwardness in persons duly qualified and called. a1740Waterland Serm. Matt. xxvi. 41 Wks. 1823 IX. 126 Jonas the Prophet discovered the like tergiversation and backwardness as to the errand he was sent upon to the Ninevites.
2. Turning in a dishonourable manner from straightforward action or statement; shifting, shuffling, equivocation, prevarication. Also with a and pl., an instance of this; an evasion, a subterfuge.
1570Foxe A. & M. (ed. 2) 1505/1 For all hys crafty cauteles and tergiuersations alledged out of the lawe. 1660H. More Myst. Godl. vii. vii. 304 For the preventing of all Cavils and Tergiversations. 1760Jortin Erasmus II. 265 Here is a little tergiversation, and Erasmus seems to retract what he had advanced in many places. 1821Scott Kenilw. xxxv, The duplicity and tergiversation of which he had been guilty. 1871G. Meredith H. Richmond xxxviii, Applying to friends to fortify him in his shifts and tergiversations.
3.
†a. The literal turning of the back. rare.
1660F. Brooke tr. Le Blanc's Trav. 200 He holds a stately gravity, allowing audience to none but on the knee, nor tergiversation in retiring.
b. The turning of the back for flight; flight, retreat (lit. and fig.). ? Obs.
a1652J. Smith Sel. Disc. x. iii. (1856) 475 Wicked men..seek to avoid the dreadful sentence of their own consciences by a tergiversation and flying from themselves. 1654H. L'Estrange Chas. I (1655) 17 The Captain Governour of the Castle viewing the tergiversation and flight of his party. 1660Burney κέρδ. Δῶρον (1661) 129 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. Evil has a tergiversation from holy fear. |