See tergiversate in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
{
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},
"expansion": "Latin tergiversor (“to evade, to avoid, to turn one's back on”) + -ate (verb-forming suffix)",
"name": "af"
},
{
"args": {
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"2": "tergum",
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"name": "af"
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{
"args": {
"1": "fr",
"2": "tergiverser"
},
"expansion": "French tergiverser",
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}
],
"etymology_text": "From Latin tergiversor (“to evade, to avoid, to turn one's back on”) + -ate (verb-forming suffix), from tergum (“back, hind”) + versō (“to turn”) + -or. Compare French tergiverser.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "tergiversates",
"tags": [
"present",
"singular",
"third-person"
]
},
{
"form": "tergiversating",
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"participle",
"present"
]
},
{
"form": "tergiversated",
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"past"
]
},
{
"form": "tergiversated",
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}
],
"head_templates": [
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"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "verb",
"related": [
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0",
"word": "tergiversation"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0",
"word": "tergiversator"
}
],
"senses": [
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1999, Philip McCutchan, Werner Levi, The Hoof, →ISBN, page 18:",
"text": "The officials soon concluded that the easiest way to remain on good terms with the court was to elude responsibility, to tergiversate, to prevent results.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to obfuscate in a deliberate manner."
],
"id": "en-tergiversate-en-verb-U5klbu8T",
"links": [
[
"evade",
"evade"
],
[
"equivocate",
"equivocate"
],
[
"subterfuge",
"subterfuge"
],
[
"obfuscate",
"obfuscate"
],
[
"deliberate",
"deliberate"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(intransitive) To evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to obfuscate in a deliberate manner."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"_dis1": "91 5 4",
"sense": "to evade, obfuscate",
"word": "prevaricate"
},
{
"_dis1": "91 5 4",
"sense": "to evade, obfuscate",
"word": "beat around the bush"
}
],
"tags": [
"intransitive"
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "95 2 2",
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "uvǎrtam",
"sense": "to evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate",
"word": "увъртам"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 2 2",
"code": "cs",
"lang": "Czech",
"sense": "to evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate",
"word": "vytáčet se"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 2 2",
"code": "cs",
"lang": "Czech",
"sense": "to evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate",
"word": "vymlouvat se"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 2 2",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "to evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate",
"word": "se dérober"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 2 2",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"note": "in part",
"sense": "to evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate",
"word": "tergiverser"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 2 2",
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "to evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate",
"word": "tergiversare"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 2 2",
"code": "la",
"lang": "Latin",
"sense": "to evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate",
"word": "tergiversor"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 2 2",
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "to evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate",
"word": "tergiversar"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 2 2",
"code": "ro",
"lang": "Romanian",
"sense": "to evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate",
"word": "tergiversa"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 2 2",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "uklonjátʹsja",
"sense": "to evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "уклоня́ться"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 2 2",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "uvílivatʹ",
"sense": "to evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "уви́ливать"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 2 2",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "uvjórtyvatʹsja",
"sense": "to evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "увёртываться"
}
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "9 80 11",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "19 63 18",
"kind": "other",
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{
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},
{
"_dis": "11 77 12",
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{
"_dis": "14 71 15",
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{
"_dis": "10 79 11",
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{
"_dis": "12 74 14",
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},
{
"_dis": "9 79 12",
"kind": "other",
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"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "9 79 12",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Latin translations",
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"source": "w+disamb"
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{
"_dis": "10 77 13",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Portuguese translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "9 81 10",
"kind": "other",
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"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
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{
"_dis": "9 79 12",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Russian translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "10 79 12",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Spanish translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "2002, Colin Morris, Peter Roberts, chapter 8, in Pilgrimage: The English Experience from Becket to Bunyan, →ISBN, page 221:",
"text": "Henry had hesitated before authorising the spoliation; he would soon tergiversate on other matters of doctrine but this act was irreversible.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To change sides or affiliation; to apostatize."
],
"id": "en-tergiversate-en-verb-9xRO53i8",
"links": [
[
"affiliation",
"affiliation"
],
[
"apostatize",
"apostatize"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(intransitive) To change sides or affiliation; to apostatize."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"_dis1": "2 94 3",
"sense": "to change sides",
"word": "desert"
}
],
"tags": [
"intransitive"
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "1 98 1",
"code": "ar",
"lang": "Arabic",
"roman": "irtadda",
"sense": "to change sides or affiliation; to apostatize",
"word": "اِرْتَدَّ"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 98 1",
"code": "cs",
"lang": "Czech",
"sense": "to change sides or affiliation; to apostatize",
"word": "odpadnout"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 98 1",
"code": "cs",
"lang": "Czech",
"sense": "to change sides or affiliation; to apostatize",
"word": "přeběhnout"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 98 1",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "to change sides or affiliation; to apostatize",
"word": "kääntää takkinsa"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 98 1",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "to change sides or affiliation; to apostatize",
"word": "changer de camp"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 98 1",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "to change sides or affiliation; to apostatize",
"word": "retourner sa chemise"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 98 1",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "predavátʹ",
"sense": "to change sides or affiliation; to apostatize",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "предава́ть"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 98 1",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "otstupátʹsja",
"sense": "to change sides or affiliation; to apostatize",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "отступа́ться"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 98 1",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "peremetnútʹsja",
"sense": "to change sides or affiliation; to apostatize",
"tags": [
"perfective"
],
"word": "переметну́ться"
}
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"glosses": [
"To flee by turning one's back."
],
"id": "en-tergiversate-en-verb-cVkwSx2z",
"raw_glosses": [
"(intransitive, rare) To flee by turning one's back."
],
"tags": [
"intransitive",
"rare"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈtɜːd͡ʒɪvəseɪt/",
"tags": [
"UK"
]
},
{
"enpr": "tər-jɪv'ər-sāt",
"tags": [
"US"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/tɝˈd͡ʒɪvɝseɪt/",
"tags": [
"US"
]
},
{
"audio": "en-us-tergiversate.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/30/En-us-tergiversate.ogg/En-us-tergiversate.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/En-us-tergiversate.ogg"
}
],
"word": "tergiversate"
}
{
"categories": [
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English lemmas",
"English terms derived from Latin",
"English terms suffixed with -ate (verb)",
"English verbs",
"Entries with translation boxes",
"Pages with 4 entries",
"Pages with entries",
"Terms with Arabic translations",
"Terms with Bulgarian translations",
"Terms with Czech translations",
"Terms with Finnish translations",
"Terms with French translations",
"Terms with Italian translations",
"Terms with Latin translations",
"Terms with Portuguese translations",
"Terms with Romanian translations",
"Terms with Russian translations",
"Terms with Spanish translations"
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "tergiversor",
"3": "-ate",
"id2": "verb",
"lang1": "la",
"pos2": "verb-forming suffix",
"t1": "to evade, to avoid, to turn one's back on"
},
"expansion": "Latin tergiversor (“to evade, to avoid, to turn one's back on”) + -ate (verb-forming suffix)",
"name": "af"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "la",
"2": "tergum",
"3": "versō",
"4": "-or",
"nocat": "1",
"t1": "back, hind",
"t2": "to turn"
},
"expansion": "tergum (“back, hind”) + versō (“to turn”) + -or",
"name": "af"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "fr",
"2": "tergiverser"
},
"expansion": "French tergiverser",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "From Latin tergiversor (“to evade, to avoid, to turn one's back on”) + -ate (verb-forming suffix), from tergum (“back, hind”) + versō (“to turn”) + -or. Compare French tergiverser.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "tergiversates",
"tags": [
"present",
"singular",
"third-person"
]
},
{
"form": "tergiversating",
"tags": [
"participle",
"present"
]
},
{
"form": "tergiversated",
"tags": [
"participle",
"past"
]
},
{
"form": "tergiversated",
"tags": [
"past"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
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"args": {},
"expansion": "tergiversate (third-person singular simple present tergiversates, present participle tergiversating, simple past and past participle tergiversated)",
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],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "verb",
"related": [
{
"word": "tergiversation"
},
{
"word": "tergiversator"
}
],
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English intransitive verbs",
"English terms with quotations"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1999, Philip McCutchan, Werner Levi, The Hoof, →ISBN, page 18:",
"text": "The officials soon concluded that the easiest way to remain on good terms with the court was to elude responsibility, to tergiversate, to prevent results.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to obfuscate in a deliberate manner."
],
"links": [
[
"evade",
"evade"
],
[
"equivocate",
"equivocate"
],
[
"subterfuge",
"subterfuge"
],
[
"obfuscate",
"obfuscate"
],
[
"deliberate",
"deliberate"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(intransitive) To evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to obfuscate in a deliberate manner."
],
"tags": [
"intransitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English intransitive verbs",
"English terms with quotations"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "2002, Colin Morris, Peter Roberts, chapter 8, in Pilgrimage: The English Experience from Becket to Bunyan, →ISBN, page 221:",
"text": "Henry had hesitated before authorising the spoliation; he would soon tergiversate on other matters of doctrine but this act was irreversible.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To change sides or affiliation; to apostatize."
],
"links": [
[
"affiliation",
"affiliation"
],
[
"apostatize",
"apostatize"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(intransitive) To change sides or affiliation; to apostatize."
],
"tags": [
"intransitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English intransitive verbs",
"English terms with rare senses"
],
"glosses": [
"To flee by turning one's back."
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(intransitive, rare) To flee by turning one's back."
],
"tags": [
"intransitive",
"rare"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈtɜːd͡ʒɪvəseɪt/",
"tags": [
"UK"
]
},
{
"enpr": "tər-jɪv'ər-sāt",
"tags": [
"US"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/tɝˈd͡ʒɪvɝseɪt/",
"tags": [
"US"
]
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{
"audio": "en-us-tergiversate.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/30/En-us-tergiversate.ogg/En-us-tergiversate.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/En-us-tergiversate.ogg"
}
],
"synonyms": [
{
"sense": "to evade, obfuscate",
"word": "prevaricate"
},
{
"sense": "to evade, obfuscate",
"word": "beat around the bush"
},
{
"sense": "to change sides",
"word": "desert"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "uvǎrtam",
"sense": "to evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate",
"word": "увъртам"
},
{
"code": "cs",
"lang": "Czech",
"sense": "to evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate",
"word": "vytáčet se"
},
{
"code": "cs",
"lang": "Czech",
"sense": "to evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate",
"word": "vymlouvat se"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "to evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate",
"word": "se dérober"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"note": "in part",
"sense": "to evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate",
"word": "tergiverser"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "to evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate",
"word": "tergiversare"
},
{
"code": "la",
"lang": "Latin",
"sense": "to evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate",
"word": "tergiversor"
},
{
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "to evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate",
"word": "tergiversar"
},
{
"code": "ro",
"lang": "Romanian",
"sense": "to evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate",
"word": "tergiversa"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "uklonjátʹsja",
"sense": "to evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "уклоня́ться"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "uvílivatʹ",
"sense": "to evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "уви́ливать"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "uvjórtyvatʹsja",
"sense": "to evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to deliberately obfuscate",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "увёртываться"
},
{
"code": "ar",
"lang": "Arabic",
"roman": "irtadda",
"sense": "to change sides or affiliation; to apostatize",
"word": "اِرْتَدَّ"
},
{
"code": "cs",
"lang": "Czech",
"sense": "to change sides or affiliation; to apostatize",
"word": "odpadnout"
},
{
"code": "cs",
"lang": "Czech",
"sense": "to change sides or affiliation; to apostatize",
"word": "přeběhnout"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "to change sides or affiliation; to apostatize",
"word": "kääntää takkinsa"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "to change sides or affiliation; to apostatize",
"word": "changer de camp"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "to change sides or affiliation; to apostatize",
"word": "retourner sa chemise"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "predavátʹ",
"sense": "to change sides or affiliation; to apostatize",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "предава́ть"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "otstupátʹsja",
"sense": "to change sides or affiliation; to apostatize",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "отступа́ться"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "peremetnútʹsja",
"sense": "to change sides or affiliation; to apostatize",
"tags": [
"perfective"
],
"word": "переметну́ться"
}
],
"word": "tergiversate"
}
Download raw JSONL data for tergiversate meaning in English (7.3kB)
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-01-10 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-01-01 using wiktextract (df33d17 and 4ed51a5). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
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