Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Prevarication
Pre-varˊi-ca′tion
,Noun.
[L.
praevaricatio
: cf. F. prévarication
.] 1.
The act of prevaricating, shuffling, or quibbling, to evade the truth or the disclosure of truth; a deviation from the truth and fair dealing.
The august tribunal of the skies, where no
prevarication
shall avail. Cowper.
2.
A secret abuse in the exercise of a public office.
3.
(Law)
(a)
(Roman Law)
The collusion of an informer with the defendant, for the purpose of making a sham prosecution.
(b)
(Common Law)
A false or deceitful seeming to undertake a thing for the purpose of defeating or destroying it.
Cowell.
Webster 1828 Edition
Prevarication
PREVARICA'TION
,Noun.
1.
In the civil law, the collusion of an informer with the defendant, for the purpose of making a sham prosecution.2.
In common law, a seeming to undertake a thing falsely or deceitfully, for the purpose of defeating or destroying it.3.
A secret abuse in the exercise of a public office or commission.Definition 2024
prevarication
prevarication
See also: prévarication
English
Noun
prevarication (plural prevarications)
- (now rare) Deviation from what is right or correct; transgression, perversion.
- Evasion of the truth; deceit, evasiveness.
- Prevarication became the order of the day in his government while truth was a stranger in those halls.
- Cowper
- The august tribunal of the skies, where no prevarication shall avail.
- 2012, The Economist, Oct 6th 2012, Charlemagne: Mysterious Mariano
- Mr Rajoy frustrates many with his prevarication over a fresh euro-zone bail-out, which now comes with a conditional promise from the European Central Bank (ECB) to help bring down Spain’s stifling borrowing costs.
- A secret abuse in the exercise of a public office.
- (law, historical, Ancient Rome) The collusion of an informer with the defendant, for the purpose of making a sham prosecution.
- (law) A false or deceitful seeming to undertake a thing for the purpose of defeating or destroying it.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Cowell to this entry?)
Related terms
Translations
deviation from what is right or correct
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deceit, evasiveness
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Middle French
Noun
prevarication f (plural prevarications)
- prevarication (deviation from what is right)
Descendants
- English: prevarication (borrowed)
- French: prévarication