tergiversate
verb /ˈtɜːdʒɪvəseɪt/, /ˌtɜːdʒɪˈvɜːseɪt/
/tərˈdʒɪvərseɪt/, /ˈtɜːrdʒɪvərseɪt/
(formal)Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they tergiversate | /ˈtɜːdʒɪvəseɪt/, /ˌtɜːdʒɪˈvɜːseɪt/ /tərˈdʒɪvərseɪt/, /ˈtɜːrdʒɪvərseɪt/ |
| he / she / it tergiversates | /ˈtɜːdʒɪvəseɪts/, /ˌtɜːdʒɪˈvɜːseɪts/ /tərˈdʒɪvərseɪts/, /ˈtɜːrdʒɪvərseɪts/ |
| past simple tergiversated | /ˈtɜːdʒɪvəseɪtɪd/, /ˌtɜːdʒɪˈvɜːseɪtɪd/ /tərˈdʒɪvərseɪtɪd/, /ˈtɜːrdʒɪvərseɪtɪd/ |
| past participle tergiversated | /ˈtɜːdʒɪvəseɪtɪd/, /ˌtɜːdʒɪˈvɜːseɪtɪd/ /tərˈdʒɪvərseɪtɪd/, /ˈtɜːrdʒɪvərseɪtɪd/ |
| -ing form tergiversating | /ˈtɜːdʒɪvəseɪtɪŋ/, /ˌtɜːdʒɪˈvɜːseɪtɪŋ/ /tərˈdʒɪvərseɪtɪŋ/, /ˈtɜːrdʒɪvərseɪtɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive] to make statements that deliberately hide the truth or that avoid answering a question directly
- [intransitive] to remove your support from one person, group, or religion and begin to support another
Word Originmid 17th cent.: from Latin tergiversat- ‘with one's back turned’, from the verb tergiversari, from tergum ‘back’ + vertere ‘to turn’.