VOOZH about

URL: https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/prevaricate.3175362/

โ‡ฑ Prevaricate | WordReference Forums


Menu


Install the app
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.

Prevaricate

๐Ÿ‘ Cool :cool:
๐Ÿ‘ Cool :cool:
Mina: John, what do you think of my new dress?
John: Well, the dress looks fine, but you don't do justice to it.
Mina: What are you suggesting John?
Brief pregnant pause
Mina: Will you speak your mind or you will continue prevaricating?

Hallo natives and wannabe natives๐Ÿ‘ Big Grin :D
.Could you tell me if I used the word "prevaricate" as it is supposed to be used?๐Ÿ‘ Cool :cool:
This is very strange dialog, so it's hard to know how you want to use "prevaricate." It is a very unusual word to begin with.

John is telling Mina that she is not as attractive as the dress. Is that what you mean for him to say?
What do you think John said that is false, misleading, or evasive?
He is not blunt or straightforward.I am not so sure that the phrase "do justice to"
leaves something to be implied but John doesn't specify exactly which feature of her body doesn't bring out the dress.
"You do not do justice to the dress" is a very blunt thing to say. It is only missing the reasons why.

Have Mina say "What are you saying exactly, John?" Have him duck when he's finished saying it.

Copyright wouldn't use "prevaricate." Neither would I. Neither should Mina.
The police officer, when asked to divulge the motivation of the murderer, said that it was a random senseless act of a man just having been fired who happened to pass by the motel the night in question.As it was shown by the news later that evening, not only had the police not apprehended anyone, but they had been also lying the entire day because they were still pursuing a notorious gangster.One could wonder whether prevaricating on the part of the police was a good method to puzzle the killer.


What about this context?Does it make sense?
or you will continue prevaricating?
The word 'continue' is generally used when something persists for a while. In this instance there's one brief pause. It doesn't really justify the use of that word.
The problem is that prevaricate seems to have two meanings:
1. to lie or evate the truth (which seems to be the meaning in French and Spanish too)
2. to put off doing something - this meaning is very common (at least in the UK) - see PREVARICATE (verb) definition and synonyms | Macmillan Dictionary. I suggest that wordreference needs to expand its definition.
The problem is that prevaricate seems to have two meanings:
1. to lie or evate the truth (which seems to be the meaning in French and Spanish too)
2. to put off doing something - this meaning is very common (at least in the UK) - see PREVARICATE (verb) definition and synonyms | Macmillan Dictionary.
You may find the following Usage Note from Lexico (Oxford Dictionaries) useful in explaining this apparent discrepancy:
Usage
The verbs prevaricate and procrastinate have similar but not identical meanings. Prevaricate means โ€˜act or speak in an evasive wayโ€™, as in he prevaricated at the mention of money. Procrastinate, on the other hand, means โ€˜put off doing somethingโ€™, as in the Western powers will procrastinate until it is too late. The meanings are closely relatedโ€”if someone prevaricates they often also procrastinateโ€”and this can give rise to confusion in use.
๐Ÿ‘ Smile :)
OK .. but l disagree that the OED is necessarily the only authority: given that there is no Real Academy in the UK. I still think that WordReference is too limited in its definition. See the Macmillan definition that I mentioned and also an extended discussion of the issue here ... Google Groups
Back
Top Bottom