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.
雙語例句
1. British ministers continued to prevaricate.
英國的大臣們?nèi)匀婚W爍其詞。
來自柯林斯例句
2. Didn't prevaricate but answered forthrightly and honestly.
毫不欺騙而是坦言相告.
來自《簡明英漢詞典》
3. She would prevaricate, but it would be in the line of her feelings at least.
所以即使掩飾搪塞,她也得找個和她心情一致的借口.
來自英漢文學(xué) - 嘉莉妹妹
4. Tell us exactly what happened and do not prevaricate.
有什麼就原原本本地告訴我們吧,別躲躲閃閃的.
來自互聯(lián)網(wǎng)
5. Lu some prevaricate a few words hanged the phone.