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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·cation n. pre·vari·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. |
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