pre·var·i·cate (prĭ-văr'ĭ-kāt')
intr.v., -cat·ed, -cat·ing, -cates.
To stray from or evade the truth; equivocate. See synonyms at lie².

[Latin praevāricārī, praevāricāt- : prae-, pre- + vāricāre, to straddle (from vāricus, straddling , from vārus, bent).]

prevarication pre·var'i·ca'tion n.
prevaricator pre·var'i·ca'tor n.

---

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

---