Prevarication

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /pɹɪvaɹɪˈkeɪʃən/
• Rhymes: -eɪʃən

Origin

From Anglo-Norman prevaricaciun, Middle French prevarication, and their source, Latin praevaricatio ("collusion with an opponent; transgression; deceit"), from the stem of praevaricari.

Full definition of prevarication

Noun

1. (now rare) Deviation from what is right or correct; transgression, perversion.
2. Evasion of the truth; deceit, evasiveness.Prevarication became the order of the day in his government while truth was a stranger in those halls.
• CowperThe august tribunal of the skies, where no prevarication shall avail.
• 2012, The Economist, Oct 6th 2012, Charlemagne: Mysterious MarianoMr 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.
3. A secret abuse in the exercise of a public office.
4. (legal, historical, Ancient Rome) The collusion of an informer with the defendant, for the purpose of making a sham prosecution.
5. (legal) A false or deceitful seeming to undertake a thing for the purpose of defeating or destroying it.

Related terms

• prevaricate
• prevaricator