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prevaricate definition

pre·vari·cate (pri var′i kāt′)

intransitive verb prevaricated -·cat′ed, prevaricating -·cat′·ing

  1. to turn aside from, or evade, the truth; equivocate
  2. to tell an untruth; lie

Etymology: < L praevaricatus, pp. of praevaricari, to prevaricate, lit., to walk crookedly < prae-, before + varicare, to straddle < varicus, straddling < varus, bent apart < IE base *wa- > vary

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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