prevarication
noun/pɹɪˌvæɹ.ɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/ · /pɹɪˌvæɹ.əˈkeɪ.ʃən/
Etymology Borrowed from Latin praevāricātiō (“collusion with an opponent; duplicity, deceit; violation of duty, transgression”, literally “stepping out of line”), from praevāricor (“to walk crookedly; go astray; transgress”) + -tās. The virtually obsolete sense of deviation or transgression may have been influenced by an earlier stage of borrowing via Middle English prevaricacioun, prevaricacion (“deviation from the law; transgression”) from Anglo-Norman prevaricaciun (“transgression, violation of correct conduct”).
Evasion of the truth.
- Prevarication became the order of the day in his government while truth was a stranger in those halls.
- The trumpet—vvill it ſound? the curtain riſe? And ſhow th' auguſt tribunal of the ſkies, / VVhere no prevarication ſhall avail, / VVhere eloquence and artifice ſhall fail, […]1782, William Cowper, “Retirement”, in Poems, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], →OCLC, page 291:
2 more examples
- The prevarication and white lies which a mind that keeps itself ambitiously pure is as uneasy under as a great artist under the false touches that no eye detects but his own, are worn as lightly as mere trimmings when once the actions have become a lie.1861, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], chapter XIII, in Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe, Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC, part I, page 239:
- Mr Rajoy frustrates many with his prevarication over a fresh euro-zone bail-out, which now comes with a conditional promise from the European Central Bank (ECB) to help bring down Spain’s stifling borrowing costs.2012 October 6, “Charlemagne: Mysterious Mariano”, in The Economist:
Archaic Deviation from what is right or correct.
A secret abuse in the exercise of a public office.
Law Ancient Rome, Historical The collusion of an informer with the defendant, for the purpose of making a sham prosecution.
Law A false or deceitful seeming to undertake a thing for the purpose of defeating or destroying it.
- If it shall appeare, that they haue forfeited their Faith, or wronged their Client by preuarication.1628, Robert Le Grys, Argenis, translation of original by John Barclay:
- Related terms
- prevaricate, prevaricator, lie, equivocate