prevaricatev.

Brit.

/prᵻˈvarᵻkeɪt/, U.S.

/priˈvɛrəˌkeɪt/,

/prəˈvɛrəˌkeɪt/

Forms: 1500s preuaricate, 1500s preuarycate, 1500s– prevaricate, 1600s praeuaricate, 1600s praevaricate; Scottish pre-1700 prevaricat (past participle), pre-1700 prevaricat, pre-1700 prevaricate (past participle), pre-1700 1700s– prevaricate, 1700s prevaricate (past tense).

Origin: A borrowing from Latin. Etymons: Latin praevāricāt-, praevāricārī.

Etymology: < classical Latin praevāricāt-, past participial stem (see -ate suffix³) of praevāricārī to plough crookedly, (of an advocate) to practise collusion, in post-classical Latin also to go astray, to sin, to transgress, to violate, betray (Vulgate), to apostasize (4th cent.) < prae- pre- prefix + vāricāre to stretch the legs apart, to straddle ( < vārus knock-kneed (see varus n.¹) + -icāre , verbal suffix). Compare Middle French prevariquer , French prévariquer to transgress divine law (1432), (especially of a lawyer) to fall short of one's duties, to practise collusion (1549), Old Occitan, Occitan prevaricar to fall short of one's religious duties (13th cent.), Catalan prevaricar (1460), Spanish prevaricar (1400), Italian prevaricare (second half of the 13th cent.). Compare earlier prevarication n., prevaricator n.In sense 5 after use of classical Latin praevāricārī by Pliny ( Nat. Hist. 18. 19 arator nisi incurvus praevaricatur the ploughman unless he stoops forward ploughs crookedly); compare quot. 1601 at prevarication n. 1c.

†1.

a. transitive. To deviate from or transgress (a law, command, etc.). Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > lack of subjection > refuse to submit to [verb (transitive)] > break a (rule, command, or provision)

breakOE

to-breaka1067

again-come1400

violate?a1475

transgress1526

refringe1530

infringe1533

prevaricate1541

contravene1567

temerate1635

outrage1655

1541 Schole House of Women sig. C.iv^v The wyfe of loth [= Lot], wyllynge also The wyll of god, to preuarycate..Loked behynde her, in her gate.

a1599 E. Spenser View State Ireland 3 in J. Ware Two Hist. Ireland (1633) The Lawes..are sithence either disanulled, or quite prevaricated thorough change and alteration of times.

1604 T. Wright Passions of Minde (new ed.) vi. 297 When the Soule did not prevaricate the Lawe of God, or passe the limittes of Reason.

1664 D. Lloyd Cabala 94 They may not prevaricate the Lawes of God, or do violence to their own Conscience.

1686 W. Wake Def. Expos. Doctr. Church of Eng. iii. 79 A Particular Church, may either by Error lose, or by other means prevaricate the Faith, even in the necessary points of it.

1730 Anns. New Test. 11 Who do'st boast of the Law, and by prevaricating the Law, dishonourest God.

b. intransitive. To deviate, go astray, transgress; to depart from a course of action considered to be right or correct. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > goodness and badness > wrongdoing > erring > [verb (intransitive)]

misfareeOE

failc1290

stumblec1325

errc1374

crookc1380

miscarryc1390

swervea1400

delire?a1475

pervertc1475

misguide1480

prevaricate1582

the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > change of direction of movement > change direction of movement [verb (intransitive)] > diverge from course

bowa1000

swervec1330

wrya1350

crookc1380

to turn asidea1382

depart1393

decline14..

wryc1400

divert1430

desvoy1481

wave1548

digress1552

prevaricate1582

yaw1584

to turn off1605

to come off1626

deviate1635

sag1639

to flinch out1642

deflect1646

de-err1657

break1678

verge1693

sheera1704

to break off1725

lean1894

society > morality > moral evil > wrong conduct > act wrongly or immorally [verb (intransitive)] > err or go wrong or astray

misfareeOE

wanderc897

dwelec900

miswendOE

misfereOE

misnimc1225

failc1290

to go willa1300

misgoc1300

misstepc1300

errc1315

strayc1325

folly1357

wryc1369

crookc1380

miscarryc1390

ravec1390

astray1393

forloinc1400

delire?a1475

to go wrong?1507

to tread the shoe awrya1542

swerve1576

prevaricate1582

tread awrya1625

1582 Bible (Rheims) Acts i. 25 Shew..whom thou hast chosen, to take the place of this ministerie and Apostleship, from the which Iudas hath prevaricated.

1612 B. Jonson Alchemist ii. iii. sig. D3^v If you..should, now, præuaricate, And, to your owne particular lusts, employ So great, and catholique a blisse.

a1681 G. Wharton Brief Disc. Soul World in Wks. (1683) 651 Motion..might easily prevaricate, and wander, unless it were Ruled by the Intellect.

a1706 J. Evelyn Hist. Relig. (1850) II. xi. 305 How widely they differ and prevaricate from the wholesome precepts and doctrine delivered.

1789 H. Mustafa tr. Ghulam Husain Khan Sëir Mutaqherin III. 356 As to those that prevaricate [sc. by drinking wine], the law is clear on that head.

2. transitive. To turn (something) from an application, meaning, etc., considered to be right or correct; to pervert, corrupt, misrepresent, falsify. Now rare.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > goodness and badness > wrongdoing > corruption > [verb (transitive)]

forbraidc888

besmiteeOE

awemOE

filec1175

soila1250

envenomc1300

beshrewc1325

shrew1338

corrumpa1340

corrupt1382

subvertc1384

tache1390

poison1395

infect?c1400

intoxicatec1450

deprave1482

corrup1483

rust1493

turkess?1521

vitiate1534

prevary?1541

depravate1548

fester?1548

turkish1560

wry1563

taint1573

disalter1579

prevaricate1595

sophisticate1597

invitiate1598

fashion1600

tack1601

debauch1603

deturpate1623

disaltern1635

ulcer1642

deboise1654

Neronize1673

demoralize1794

bedevil1800

1595 A. Copley Wits Fittes & Fancies sig. B3^v Loue and lust preuaricates Awe, and reason in all estates with leud confusion.

1647 N. Ward Simple Cobler Aggawam 2 He will therefore bestirre him to prevaricate Evangelicall Truths, and Ordinances.

1660 Bp. J. Taylor Ductor Dubitantium I. i. ii. 84 He may not prevaricate this duty of a Judge.

1682 J. Dryden Religio Laici Pref. sig. a4^v Since the Bible has been Translated..several Texts in it..have been prevaricated to the destruction of that Government, which put it into so ungrateful hands.

1705 W. Shippen Sequel 7 O! Holy Times—when purity our Youth, And P[riests] prevaricate the Sacred Truth, Desert the Ch[urc]h for meaner ends unknown.

1890 Harper's Mag. Dec. 114/1 She so savigrous I tolt her I 'ain' nuver had nobody to prevaricate nuttin' 'bout me.

1955 Connellsville (Pa.) Daily Courier 20 Oct. 1/7 MacArthur declared any attempt to associate him with the concessions made at Yalta would ‘prevaricate the truth and the record’.

a. intransitive. To deviate from straightforwardness; to speak or act in an evasive way; to quibble, equivocate.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > evasive deception, shiftiness > act evasively [verb (intransitive)]

haft1519

shuffle1565

dodge1575

palter1580

shift1580

hedge1611

boggle1615

subterfuge1622

prevaricatea1625

to shuffle up and down1633

evade1660

sophisticate1664

janka1689

whiffle1737

tongue-twist1836

caffle1851

pussyfoot1902

sidestep1904

spruce1916

to fudge and mudge1980

a1625 J. Fletcher Womans Prize iv. i, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) 114/2 This woman would have made a most rare Jesuite; she can prevaricate on any thing.

a1631 J. Donne Serm. (1959) IV. 142 Follow not these men in their severity,..nor in their facility to disguise and prevaricate in things that are.

1662 Pagitt's Heresiogr. (new ed.) 309 Let therefore all men no longer praevaricate with their Conscience (in matters of some inconsiderable scruples).

1694 Kirk-session Rec. 18 Feb. in Boharm Parish Mag. (1893) Sept. Elspet Muile..prevaricated as to where she was.

1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones VI. xviii. viii. 233 Do not hesitate nor prevaricate; but answer faithfully and truly to every Question I ask.

1781 E. Gibbon Decline & Fall II. xvii. 64 Their attempts to prevaricate, or elude the intention of the legislator, were severely watched, and punished as a capital crime.

1841 G. P. R. James Brigand xxxii Perhaps we may put it in such a way as to prevent his prevaricating.

1898 H. James Turn of Screw viii, in Two Magics 68 He then prevaricated about it—he said he hadn't?

1920 H. Begbie Life W. Booth I. xxi. 331 The General was far too honest a man to prevaricate for a moment. He rejected the offer.

2005 Canberra Times (Nexis) 1 June a19 Official witnesses can..be economical with the truth, tailor their evidence, prevaricate or misrepresent without sanction.

b. intransitive. To behave evasively or indecisively so as to delay action; to procrastinate. Now the usual sense.Perhaps influenced by procrastinate v. 1.

ΘΚΠ

the world > time > a suitable time or opportunity > untimeliness > delay or postponement > delay [verb (intransitive)]

geleOE

studegieOE

abideOE

to do in or a (= on) fristc1175

dwellc1175

demurc1230

targec1250

dretcha1325

tarrya1375

sojourn1377

defer1382

letc1385

hinderc1386

blina1400

delay?a1400

honea1400

litea1400

overbidea1400

prolongc1425

supersede1433

hoverc1440

tarrowc1480

sunyie1488

stay?a1500

sleep1519

slack1530

protract1540

linger1548

procrastinate1548

slackc1560

slug1565

jauk1568

temporize1579

detract1584

longering1587

sit1591

prorogue1593

to time it out1613

to lie out1640

crastinate1656

taigle17..

to hang fire1782

to hold off1790

to hang it on1819

prevaricate1854

to lie over1856

to tread water1942

to drag one's feet1946

1854 National Era 13 July 111 After quibbling, shuffling, prevaricating, and procrastinating, Austria has at length taken an open and decided stand in favor of the allies.

1932 Times 30 Aug. 11/6 To this end it allowed the reappearance of uniforms and prevaricated during the Nazi reign of terror in Königsberg and elsewhere.

1940 Eng. Jrnl. 29 812 [Student howlers.] Hamlet was a man of thought, not of action. He prevaricated too long on the statement, ‘To be or not to be, that is the question’.

1955 Times 10 June 7/4 For a year or two the admiral prevaricated, with talk of finishing touches and technical hitches; but at last he was obliged to fix a date for the launch.

1994 Sunday Times 6 Mar. i. 18/7 By exploiting the EC's desire to win a new Nordic member quickly, while Norway prevaricated Sweden hammered out a deal widely acclaimed at home.

2003 Daily Tel. 7 Mar. 4/7 Mr Mandelson..said European leaders would not listen to Britain while it prevaricates over whether to play a full role in the EU.

†4. Law.

a. intransitive. Of a lawyer or advocate: to betray the interests of a client by collusion with an opponent. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > law > legal profession > practice law [verb (transitive)] > betray by collusion with opponent

prevaricate1646

1646 J. Cooke Vindic. Professors Law sig. A^v Nor is it an unusuall thing for a Lawyer to bee of Counsell with one party, and to prevaricate, and bee of confederacy under hand with the adverse party.

1656 T. Blount Glossographia at Calumniate He that undertakes ones sute, and either will not urge reasons in the behalf of his Clyent, or answer the Objections of his adversary, when he is able, is said to Prevaricate, i. to play the false Proctor.

b. intransitive. To pretend to promote a cause or object while in reality attempting to defeat it. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > law > legal profession > practice law [verb (intransitive)] > collude with opponent of client

prevaricate1672

1672 T. Manley Νομοθετης: Cowell's Interpreter sig. Fff2 Prevaricate, when a man falsly and deceitfully seems to undertake a thing, eá intentione that he may destroy it.

1706 J. Ollyffe Third Def. Ministerial Conformity 143 To prevaricate in Law is, when a Man seems falsely and deceitfully to undertake a Thing with an Intention and Design to destroy it.

a1716 R. South Serm. Several Occasions (1744) XI. 182 For should a brother prevaricate and prove false, nature itself would seem to..upbraid his unhuman perfidiousness.

†5. intransitive. To plough crookedly. Obsolete. rare.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > breaking up land > ploughing > plough (of person) [verb (intransitive)] > of plough: plough > steadily

prevaricate1788

swim1797

1788 A. Dickson Husbandry of Ancients I. 451 Pliny mentions..that the ploughman who ploughs crooked, was said to prevaricate.

1801 A. Ranken Hist. France I. 424 They were careful not to prevaricate, or make crooked serpentine ridges; but to make straight furrows and ridges.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	prevaricate
释义	† prevaricateadj. Origin: A borrowing from Latin. Etymon: Latin praevāricātus. Etymology: < classical Latin praevāricātus, past participle of praevāricārī (see prevaricate v.). Compare earlier prevaricating adj. Obsolete. rare. That deviates or prevaricates; perverse. ΘΚΠ society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > [adjective] > perverse > depraved or perverted woughc888 forraughtc1175 perverteda1382 perversionatec1475 perversed1488 perverta1500 depravate?1520 reprobate1557 prave1564 Gomorrhean1581 depraved1593 wronged1619 prevaricate1635 pravitious1649 pravous1653 depravea1711 turpitudinous1935 1635 R. Brathwait tr. M. Silesio Arcadian Princesse ii. 58 In this case (see my prevaricate misery!) would I not either be led or driven by any. 1649 W. Charleton in tr. J. B. van Helmont Ternary of Paradoxes Prolegomena sig. d^v The Divine..met with a cure for the nicety of his Conscience, from a prævaricate Adversary. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2007; most recently modified version published online June 2020). prevaricatev. Brit. /prᵻˈvarᵻkeɪt/, U.S. /priˈvɛrəˌkeɪt/, /prəˈvɛrəˌkeɪt/ Forms: 1500s preuaricate, 1500s preuarycate, 1500s– prevaricate, 1600s praeuaricate, 1600s praevaricate; Scottish pre-1700 prevaricat (past participle), pre-1700 prevaricat, pre-1700 prevaricate (past participle), pre-1700 1700s– prevaricate, 1700s prevaricate (past tense). Origin: A borrowing from Latin. Etymons: Latin praevāricāt-, praevāricārī. Etymology: < classical Latin praevāricāt-, past participial stem (see -ate suffix³) of praevāricārī to plough crookedly, (of an advocate) to practise collusion, in post-classical Latin also to go astray, to sin, to transgress, to violate, betray (Vulgate), to apostasize (4th cent.) < prae- pre- prefix + vāricāre to stretch the legs apart, to straddle ( < vārus knock-kneed (see varus n.¹) + -icāre , verbal suffix). Compare Middle French prevariquer , French prévariquer to transgress divine law (1432), (especially of a lawyer) to fall short of one's duties, to practise collusion (1549), Old Occitan, Occitan prevaricar to fall short of one's religious duties (13th cent.), Catalan prevaricar (1460), Spanish prevaricar (1400), Italian prevaricare (second half of the 13th cent.). Compare earlier prevarication n., prevaricator n.In sense 5 after use of classical Latin praevāricārī by Pliny ( Nat. Hist. 18. 19 arator nisi incurvus praevaricatur the ploughman unless he stoops forward ploughs crookedly); compare quot. 1601 at prevarication n. 1c. †1. a. transitive. To deviate from or transgress (a law, command, etc.). Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > authority > lack of subjection > refuse to submit to [verb (transitive)] > break a (rule, command, or provision) breakOE to-breaka1067 again-come1400 violate?a1475 transgress1526 refringe1530 infringe1533 prevaricate1541 contravene1567 temerate1635 outrage1655 1541 Schole House of Women sig. C.iv^v The wyfe of loth [= Lot], wyllynge also The wyll of god, to preuarycate..Loked behynde her, in her gate. a1599 E. Spenser View State Ireland 3 in J. Ware Two Hist. Ireland (1633) The Lawes..are sithence either disanulled, or quite prevaricated thorough change and alteration of times. 1604 T. Wright Passions of Minde (new ed.) vi. 297 When the Soule did not prevaricate the Lawe of God, or passe the limittes of Reason. 1664 D. Lloyd Cabala 94 They may not prevaricate the Lawes of God, or do violence to their own Conscience. 1686 W. Wake Def. Expos. Doctr. Church of Eng. iii. 79 A Particular Church, may either by Error lose, or by other means prevaricate the Faith, even in the necessary points of it. 1730 Anns. New Test. 11 Who do'st boast of the Law, and by prevaricating the Law, dishonourest God. b. intransitive. To deviate, go astray, transgress; to depart from a course of action considered to be right or correct. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the mind > goodness and badness > wrongdoing > erring > [verb (intransitive)] misfareeOE failc1290 stumblec1325 errc1374 crookc1380 miscarryc1390 swervea1400 delire?a1475 pervertc1475 misguide1480 prevaricate1582 the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > change of direction of movement > change direction of movement [verb (intransitive)] > diverge from course bowa1000 swervec1330 wrya1350 crookc1380 to turn asidea1382 depart1393 decline14.. wryc1400 divert1430 desvoy1481 wave1548 digress1552 prevaricate1582 yaw1584 to turn off1605 to come off1626 deviate1635 sag1639 to flinch out1642 deflect1646 de-err1657 break1678 verge1693 sheera1704 to break off1725 lean1894 society > morality > moral evil > wrong conduct > act wrongly or immorally [verb (intransitive)] > err or go wrong or astray misfareeOE wanderc897 dwelec900 miswendOE misfereOE misnimc1225 failc1290 to go willa1300 misgoc1300 misstepc1300 errc1315 strayc1325 folly1357 wryc1369 crookc1380 miscarryc1390 ravec1390 astray1393 forloinc1400 delire?a1475 to go wrong?1507 to tread the shoe awrya1542 swerve1576 prevaricate1582 tread awrya1625 1582 Bible (Rheims) Acts i. 25 Shew..whom thou hast chosen, to take the place of this ministerie and Apostleship, from the which Iudas hath prevaricated. 1612 B. Jonson Alchemist ii. iii. sig. D3^v If you..should, now, præuaricate, And, to your owne particular lusts, employ So great, and catholique a blisse. View more context for this quotation a1681 G. Wharton Brief Disc. Soul World in Wks. (1683) 651 Motion..might easily prevaricate, and wander, unless it were Ruled by the Intellect. a1706 J. Evelyn Hist. Relig. (1850) II. xi. 305 How widely they differ and prevaricate from the wholesome precepts and doctrine delivered. 1789 H. Mustafa tr. Ghulam Husain Khan Sëir Mutaqherin III. 356 As to those that prevaricate [sc. by drinking wine], the law is clear on that head. 2. transitive. To turn (something) from an application, meaning, etc., considered to be right or correct; to pervert, corrupt, misrepresent, falsify. Now rare. ΘΚΠ the mind > goodness and badness > wrongdoing > corruption > [verb (transitive)] forbraidc888 besmiteeOE awemOE filec1175 soila1250 envenomc1300 beshrewc1325 shrew1338 corrumpa1340 corrupt1382 subvertc1384 tache1390 poison1395 infect?c1400 intoxicatec1450 deprave1482 corrup1483 rust1493 turkess?1521 vitiate1534 prevary?1541 depravate1548 fester?1548 turkish1560 wry1563 taint1573 disalter1579 prevaricate1595 sophisticate1597 invitiate1598 fashion1600 tack1601 debauch1603 deturpate1623 disaltern1635 ulcer1642 deboise1654 Neronize1673 demoralize1794 bedevil1800 1595 A. Copley Wits Fittes & Fancies sig. B3^v Loue and lust preuaricates Awe, and reason in all estates with leud confusion. 1647 N. Ward Simple Cobler Aggawam 2 He will therefore bestirre him to prevaricate Evangelicall Truths, and Ordinances. 1660 Bp. J. Taylor Ductor Dubitantium I. i. ii. 84 He may not prevaricate this duty of a Judge. 1682 J. Dryden Religio Laici Pref. sig. a4^v Since the Bible has been Translated..several Texts in it..have been prevaricated to the destruction of that Government, which put it into so ungrateful hands. 1705 W. Shippen Sequel 7 O! Holy Times—when purity our Youth, And P[riests] prevaricate the Sacred Truth, Desert the Ch[urc]h for meaner ends unknown. 1890 Harper's Mag. Dec. 114/1 She so savigrous I tolt her I 'ain' nuver had nobody to prevaricate nuttin' 'bout me. 1955 Connellsville (Pa.) Daily Courier 20 Oct. 1/7 MacArthur declared any attempt to associate him with the concessions made at Yalta would ‘prevaricate the truth and the record’. 3. a. intransitive. To deviate from straightforwardness; to speak or act in an evasive way; to quibble, equivocate. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > evasive deception, shiftiness > act evasively [verb (intransitive)] haft1519 shuffle1565 dodge1575 palter1580 shift1580 hedge1611 boggle1615 subterfuge1622 prevaricatea1625 to shuffle up and down1633 evade1660 sophisticate1664 janka1689 whiffle1737 tongue-twist1836 caffle1851 pussyfoot1902 sidestep1904 spruce1916 to fudge and mudge1980 a1625 J. Fletcher Womans Prize iv. i, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) 114/2 This woman would have made a most rare Jesuite; she can prevaricate on any thing. a1631 J. Donne Serm. (1959) IV. 142 Follow not these men in their severity,..nor in their facility to disguise and prevaricate in things that are. 1662 Pagitt's Heresiogr. (new ed.) 309 Let therefore all men no longer praevaricate with their Conscience (in matters of some inconsiderable scruples). 1694 Kirk-session Rec. 18 Feb. in Boharm Parish Mag. (1893) Sept. Elspet Muile..prevaricated as to where she was. 1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones VI. xviii. viii. 233 Do not hesitate nor prevaricate; but answer faithfully and truly to every Question I ask. View more context for this quotation 1781 E. Gibbon Decline & Fall II. xvii. 64 Their attempts to prevaricate, or elude the intention of the legislator, were severely watched, and punished as a capital crime. 1841 G. P. R. James Brigand xxxii Perhaps we may put it in such a way as to prevent his prevaricating. 1898 H. James Turn of Screw viii, in Two Magics 68 He then prevaricated about it—he said he hadn't? 1920 H. Begbie Life W. Booth I. xxi. 331 The General was far too honest a man to prevaricate for a moment. He rejected the offer. 2005 Canberra Times (Nexis) 1 June a19 Official witnesses can..be economical with the truth, tailor their evidence, prevaricate or misrepresent without sanction. b. intransitive. To behave evasively or indecisively so as to delay action; to procrastinate. Now the usual sense.Perhaps influenced by procrastinate v. 1. ΘΚΠ the world > time > a suitable time or opportunity > untimeliness > delay or postponement > delay [verb (intransitive)] geleOE studegieOE abideOE to do in or a (= on) fristc1175 dwellc1175 demurc1230 targec1250 dretcha1325 tarrya1375 sojourn1377 defer1382 letc1385 hinderc1386 blina1400 delay?a1400 honea1400 litea1400 overbidea1400 prolongc1425 supersede1433 hoverc1440 tarrowc1480 sunyie1488 stay?a1500 sleep1519 slack1530 protract1540 linger1548 procrastinate1548 slackc1560 slug1565 jauk1568 temporize1579 detract1584 longering1587 sit1591 prorogue1593 to time it out1613 to lie out1640 crastinate1656 taigle17.. to hang fire1782 to hold off1790 to hang it on1819 prevaricate1854 to lie over1856 to tread water1942 to drag one's feet1946 1854 National Era 13 July 111 After quibbling, shuffling, prevaricating, and procrastinating, Austria has at length taken an open and decided stand in favor of the allies. 1932 Times 30 Aug. 11/6 To this end it allowed the reappearance of uniforms and prevaricated during the Nazi reign of terror in Königsberg and elsewhere. 1940 Eng. Jrnl. 29 812 [Student howlers.] Hamlet was a man of thought, not of action. He prevaricated too long on the statement, ‘To be or not to be, that is the question’. 1955 Times 10 June 7/4 For a year or two the admiral prevaricated, with talk of finishing touches and technical hitches; but at last he was obliged to fix a date for the launch. 1994 Sunday Times 6 Mar. i. 18/7 By exploiting the EC's desire to win a new Nordic member quickly, while Norway prevaricated Sweden hammered out a deal widely acclaimed at home. 2003 Daily Tel. 7 Mar. 4/7 Mr Mandelson..said European leaders would not listen to Britain while it prevaricates over whether to play a full role in the EU. †4. Law. a. intransitive. Of a lawyer or advocate: to betray the interests of a client by collusion with an opponent. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > law > legal profession > practice law [verb (transitive)] > betray by collusion with opponent prevaricate1646 1646 J. Cooke Vindic. Professors Law sig. A^v Nor is it an unusuall thing for a Lawyer to bee of Counsell with one party, and to prevaricate, and bee of confederacy under hand with the adverse party. 1656 T. Blount Glossographia at Calumniate He that undertakes ones sute, and either will not urge reasons in the behalf of his Clyent, or answer the Objections of his adversary, when he is able, is said to Prevaricate, i. to play the false Proctor. b. intransitive. To pretend to promote a cause or object while in reality attempting to defeat it. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > law > legal profession > practice law [verb (intransitive)] > collude with opponent of client prevaricate1672 1672 T. Manley Νομοθετης: Cowell's Interpreter sig. Fff2 Prevaricate, when a man falsly and deceitfully seems to undertake a thing, eá intentione that he may destroy it. 1706 J. Ollyffe Third Def. Ministerial Conformity 143 To prevaricate in Law is, when a Man seems falsely and deceitfully to undertake a Thing with an Intention and Design to destroy it. a1716 R. South Serm. Several Occasions (1744) XI. 182 For should a brother prevaricate and prove false, nature itself would seem to..upbraid his unhuman perfidiousness. †5. intransitive. To plough crookedly. Obsolete. rare. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > breaking up land > ploughing > plough (of person) [verb (intransitive)] > of plough: plough > steadily prevaricate1788 swim1797 1788 A. Dickson Husbandry of Ancients I. 451 Pliny mentions..that the ploughman who ploughs crooked, was said to prevaricate. 1801 A. Ranken Hist. France I. 424 They were careful not to prevaricate, or make crooked serpentine ridges; but to make straight furrows and ridges. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < adj.1635v.1541
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† prevaricateadj.

prevaricatev.