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Beat about the bush
Answer for the clue "Beat about the bush ", 11 letters:
prevaricate
Alternative clues for the word prevaricate
Word definitions for prevaricate in dictionaries
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Word definitions in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
verb EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES ▪ Judge Greene said Tate was prevaricating to avoid having to testify against his ex-boss. EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS ▪ Without a text to assist them they may prevaricate too long before facing the brutal truth.
WordNet
Word definitions in WordNet
v. be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information [syn: beat around the bush , equivocate , tergiversate , palter ]
Wiktionary
Word definitions in Wiktionary
vb. 1 (context transitive intransitive obsolete English) To deviate, transgress; to go astray (from). 2 (context intransitive English) To shift or turn from direct speech or behaviour; to evade the truth; to waffle or be (intentionally) ambiguous. 3 (context ...
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
Prevaricate \Pre*var"i*cate\, v. t. To evade by a quibble; to transgress; to pervert. [Obs.] --Jer. Taylor.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
Word definitions in Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
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 ...
Usage examples of prevaricate.
He held that to prevaricate, or wilfully to give the impression of a falsehood, is almost as mean as a direct lie.
She could think of no reason why he should prevaricate simply to upset her, especially when he was abandoning an excellent position and any hope of references.
When asked why it had taken her five days to report the alleged attack, she said that she had prevaricated because she knew very well how the whole incident would look.
Kevin thought she was in love with him, so she prevaricated just a little bit.
This request has preserved us in the past when prevaricating, jealous visitors would have pillaged us.
It is your journey to resolving your demons that makes the play the prevaricating tour de force that it is.
Perico could not care: he saw his akaman and his wakanisha prevaricating when action was required, urgent and immediate.
He was opening his mouth to prevaricate when he was rudely interrupted by a sudden raucous clamour coming from the yard beyond the window at which Burdam Thrid was standing.
He believed that he was offering her a compliment by differentiating her from the pretty girls who were allowed to dither charmingly, prevaricate and titter before they made an answer.
For he that lies or prevaricates may not well be counselled, at least in so far as he has deceived.
But he was no sooner in Milan but he began to prevaricate and send supplies to Pope Alexander to put him in possession of Romagna, not considering that thereby he weakened himself and disobliged his friends who had thrown themselves into his arms, and aggrandized the Church by adding to its spiritual authority (which was so formidable before) so great a proportion of temporal.
I replied evasively, not caring to pick a quarrel, and yet morally sure that he was prevaricating.
He knew very well why the Trojans were here, but he wondered if Brutus would prevaricate.