prevaricate: [16] Etymologically, prevaricate means ‘walk crookedly’, and it goes back ultimately to a Latin adjective meaning ‘knockkneed’, varus. From this was derived the verb vāricāre ‘straddle’, which was combined with the prefix prae- ‘before, beyond’ to produce praevāricārī ‘walk crookedly’, hence ‘deviate’. This developed in English to ‘deviate from straightforward behaviour’, hence ‘be evasive, equivocate’.
prevaricate (v.)
1580s, "to transgress," a back formation from prevarication, or else from Latin praevaricatus, past participle of praevaricari "to make a sham accusation, deviate," literally "walk crookedly;" in Church Latin, "to transgress" (see prevarication). Meaning "to speak evasively" is from 1630s. Related: Prevaricated; prevaricating.
实用例句
1. British ministers continued to prevaricate.
英国的大臣们仍然闪烁其词。
来自柯林斯例句
2. Didn't prevaricate but answered forthrightly and honestly.
毫不欺骗而是坦言相告.
来自《简明英汉词典》
3. She would prevaricate, but it would be in the line of her feelings at least.
所以即使掩饰搪塞,她也得找个和她心情一致的借口.
来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
4. Tell us exactly what happened and do not prevaricate.
有什麽就原原本本地告诉我们吧,别躲躲闪闪的.
来自互联网
5. Lu some prevaricate a few words hanged the phone.
