prevaricator

pre·var·i·cate

P0549200 (prĭ-văr′ĭ-kāt′)v. pre·var·i·cat·ed, pre·var·i·cat·ing, pre·var·i·cates v.intr.1. To speak or write evasively. See Synonyms at lie².2. (Usage Problem) To behave in an indecisive manner; delay or procrastinate.v.tr. To utter or say in an evasive manner.

[Latin praevāricārī, praevāricāt-, to straddle across (something), collude (used of lawyers) : prae-, pre- + vāricāre, to straddle (from vāricus, straddling, from vārus, bow-legged, bandy).]

pre·var′i·ca′tion n.pre·var′i·ca′tor n.Usage Note: The traditional meaning of prevaricate is "to speak or write evasively." In recent years, a second sense has developed, meaning "to behave in an indecisive manner; delay or procrastinate," perhaps influenced by equivocate, which primarily means "to speak evasively" but can also mean "to be indecisive." In American English, this second sense is widely considered an error, and a large majority of the Usage Panel finds it unacceptable. In 2011, 78 percent of the Panel disapproved of the "delay" sense of the word as used in the sentence He prevaricated for some two years before accepting the new design for production. This usage is more commonly encountered in British English, as in this quotation from the BBC News: As the industry prevaricated, sales collapsed.

Thesaurus

Noun

prevaricator - a person who has lied or who lies repeatedlyliarbeguiler, cheater, deceiver, trickster, slicker, cheat - someone who leads you to believe something that is not truefalse witness, perjurer - a person who deliberately gives false testimonyfabricator, fibber, storyteller - someone who tells lies

prevaricator

nounOne who tells lies:fabricator, fabulist, falsifier, fibber, liar.Informal: storyteller.Law: perjurer.

Translations

prevaricator

pre·var·i·cate

prevaricator

prevaricator

Synonyms for prevaricator

noun one who tells lies

Synonyms

Synonyms for prevaricator

noun a person who has lied or who lies repeatedly

Synonyms

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