See Also: tergiversate(dictionary)

tergiversate (iou)



tergiversate verb intrans. M17.
[Latin tergiversat- pa. ppl stem of tergiversari turn one's back, practise evasion, from tergum back + vers- pa. ppl stem of vertere turn: see -ATE3. Cf. TERGIVERSE.]
Change one's party or one's principles, turn renegade, apostatize; use subterfuge or evasion. Freq. as tergiversated ppl adjective, tergiversating verbal noun & ppl adjective. M17.
lit. Turn the back (for flight or retreat). rare. L19.
tergiversator noun E18.