/
prɪˈvarɪkeɪt/
v.
speak or act evasively.
Derivative
- prevarication n.
- prevaricator n.
Usage
Prevaricate and procrastinate have similar but not identical meanings. Prevaricate means ‘act or speak in an evasive way’, as in he prevaricated at the mention of money. Procrastinate, on the other hand, means ‘put off doing something’, as in the Western powers will procrastinate until it is too late.
Etymology
C16 (earlier (ME) as prevarication and prevaricator), in the sense ‘go astray, transgress’: from L. praevaricat-, praevaricari ‘walk crookedly, deviate’.
