tergiversation
English
Etymology
From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin tergiversātiō.
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 331: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "GenAm" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /tɝd͡ʒɪvɚˈseɪʃən/
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 331: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /tɜːd͡ʒɪvəˈseɪʃən/
- Rhymes: -eɪʃən
Noun
tergiversation (countable and uncountable, plural tergiversations)
- The act of abandoning something or someone, of changing sides; desertion; betrayal.
- 1985, John Fowles, A Maggot:
- They make their outward impudence their mask, as foxes, the better we may not see where they truly tend, nor their true black tergiversation beneath.
- The act of evading any clear course of action or speech, of being deliberately ambiguous; equivocation; fickleness.
- 1931, Bertrand Russell, The Scientific Outlook:
- Anyone who desires an hour's amusement may be advised to look up the tergiversations of eminent craniologists in their attempts to prove from brain measurements that women are stupider than men.
Related terms
Translations
act of abandoning, changing sides
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act of evading clear course
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Anagrams
French
Etymology
From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin tergiversātiō.
Pronunciation
Noun
tergiversation f (plural tergiversations)
- Delays in providing a clear answer caused by hesitations or an outright unwillingness to be forthright.
Usage notes
- Usage as a pluralia tantum rather than as a mass noun is more common.
Further reading
- “tergiversation”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Categories:
- English terms derived from Latin
- English 5-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- Rhymes:English/eɪʃən
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- English countable nouns
- English terms with quotations
- French terms derived from Latin
- French 5-syllable words
- French terms with IPA pronunciation
- French terms with audio links
- French lemmas
- French nouns
- French countable nouns
- French feminine nouns