tergiversate

verb

/ˈtɜːdʒɪvəseɪt/, /ˌtɜːdʒɪˈvɜːseɪt/

/tərˈdʒɪvərseɪt/, /ˈtɜːrdʒɪvərseɪt/

(formal)

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they tergiversate	/ˈtɜːdʒɪvəseɪt/, /ˌtɜːdʒɪˈvɜːseɪt/ /tərˈdʒɪvərseɪt/, /ˈtɜːrdʒɪvərseɪt/
he / she / it tergiversates	/ˈtɜːdʒɪvəseɪts/, /ˌtɜːdʒɪˈvɜːseɪts/ /tərˈdʒɪvərseɪts/, /ˈtɜːrdʒɪvərseɪts/
past simple tergiversated	/ˈtɜːdʒɪvəseɪtɪd/, /ˌtɜːdʒɪˈvɜːseɪtɪd/ /tərˈdʒɪvərseɪtɪd/, /ˈtɜːrdʒɪvərseɪtɪd/
past participle tergiversated	/ˈtɜːdʒɪvəseɪtɪd/, /ˌtɜːdʒɪˈvɜːseɪtɪd/ /tərˈdʒɪvərseɪtɪd/, /ˈtɜːrdʒɪvərseɪtɪd/
-ing form tergiversating	/ˈtɜːdʒɪvəseɪtɪŋ/, /ˌtɜːdʒɪˈvɜːseɪtɪŋ/ /tərˈdʒɪvərseɪtɪŋ/, /ˈtɜːrdʒɪvərseɪtɪŋ/

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[intransitive] to make statements that deliberately hide the truth or that avoid answering a question directly（说话）含糊其词，支吾，回避事实
[intransitive] to remove your support from one person, group, or religion and begin to support another改变立场；背叛；变节

Word Originmid 17th cent.: from Latin tergiversat- ‘with one's back turned’, from the verb tergiversari, from tergum ‘back’ + vertere ‘to turn’.

tergiversate