tergiversate
verb
ter·gi·ver·sate ˈtər-jə-vər-ˌsāt 
ˌtər-ˈji-vər-ˌsāt,
-ˈgi-;
ˌtər-jə-ˈvər-
tergiversated; tergiversating
intransitive verb
: to engage in tergiversation
tergiversator
ˈtər-jə-vər-ˌsā-tər
noun ˌtər-ˈji-vər-ˌsā-
-ˈgi-;
ˌtər-jə-ˈvər-
Synonyms
- equivocate
- fudge
- hedge
- pussyfoot
- waffle
- weasel
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
shamelessly tergiversating, the witness replied, “Well, it depends upon what your definition of ‘truth’ is”
Word History
Etymology
Latin tergiversatus, past participle of tergiversari to show reluctance, from tergum back + versare to turn, frequentative of vertere to turn — more at worth
First Known Use
1590, in the meaning defined above
tergiversating
verb
as in weaseling
to avoid giving a definite answer or position shamelessly tergiversating, the witness replied, "Well, it depends upon what your definition of 'truth' is" Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- weaseling
- beating about the bush
- hemming and hawing
- shaking
- hedging
- straddling the fence
- beating around the bush
- dodging
- waffling
- ducking
- pussyfooting
- equivocating
- evading
- eluding
- fudging
- shunning
- skirting
- caviling
- flip-flopping
- eschewing
- circumventing
- bypassing
- cavilling
- shirking
- yo-yoing
- sidestepping
- quibbling
- straddling
- burns through
- burns up
- burnsian
- Burnside
- burnsides
- Burnsville
- burnt
- burnt almond
- burnt alum
- burnt away
- burnt brass
- burnt carmine
- burnt crimson lake
- burnt down
- burnt in
- burnt iron
- burnt italian earth
- burnt italian ocher
- burnt lake
- burnt lime
- burnt ocher
- burnt off
- burnt offering
- burnt orange
- burnt out