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Webster 1913 Edition
Temporize
Tem′po-rize
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Temporized
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Temporizing
.] [F.
temporiser
. See Temporal
of time.] 1.
To comply with the time or occasion; to humor, or yield to, the current of opinion or circumstances; also, to trim, as between two parties.
They might their grievance inwardly complain,
But outwardly they needs must
But outwardly they needs must
temporize
. Daniel.
2.
To delay; to procrastinate.
[R.]
Bacon.
3.
To comply; to agree.
[Obs.]
Shak.
Webster 1828 Edition
Temporize
TEM'PORIZE
,Verb.
I.
1.
To comply with the time or occasion; to humor or yield to the current of opinion or to circumstances; a conduct that often indicates obsequiousness. They might their grievance inwardly complain,
But outwardly they needs must temporize.
2.
To delay; to procrastinate. Well, you till temporize with the hours. [Little used.]
3.
To comply. [Not in use.]Definition 2024
temporize
temporize
English
Verb
temporize (third-person singular simple present temporizes, present participle temporizing, simple past and past participle temporized)
- To deliberately act evasively or prolong a discussion in order to gain time or postpone a decision, sometimes in order to reach a compromise or simply to make a conversation more temperate.
- (obsolete) To comply with the time or occasion; to humor, or yield to, the current of opinion or circumstances; also, to trim, as between two parties.
- Daniel
- They might their grievance inwardly complain, But outwardly they needs must temporize.
- Daniel
- (obsolete) To delay; to procrastinate.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Francis Bacon to this entry?)
- (obsolete) To comply; to agree.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)
Derived terms
Translations
to deliberately act evasively or prolong a discussion
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