Tergiversate

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈtɜːdʒɪvÉ™seɪt/
• US enPR: tÉ™r-jɪv'É™r-sāt, IPA: /tɝˈdʒɪvɝseɪt/

Origin

From Latin tergiversor ("turn one's back, make excuses"); from tergum ("the back") + versō, frequentive of vertō ("turn").

Full definition of tergiversate

Verb

1. (intransitive) To evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to obfuscate in a deliberate manner.
• 1999, Philip McCutchan and Werner Levi, The Hoof, The officials soon concluded that the easiest way to remain on good terms with the court was to elude responsibility, to tergiversate, to prevent results.
2. (intransitive) To change sides or affiliation; to apostatize.
• 2002, Colin Morris and Peter Roberts, Pilgrimage: The English Experience from Becket to Bunyan Chapter 8, Henry had hesitated before authorising the spoliation; he would soon tergiversate on others matters of doctrine but this act was irreversible.

Synonyms

• (to evade, obfuscate) prevaricate
• (to change sides) desert

Derived terms

• tergiversation