What Does Prevaricate Mean?

I’m currently reading Finding Audrey, by Sophie Kinsella, a hilarious  YA contemporary about a girl combating anxiety disorder. Daughter highly recommended it, saying, “the mom in this book is JUST LIKE YOU!”  So, of course, I had to read it.

The mother in Finding Audrey is a somewhat hysterical woman, prone to excessive rants about screen time, who throws her son’s computer out the window.  I’m trying not to be insulted.  Rants?  Me?

Finding Audrey sent me to the Kindle dictionary for a few words, including prevaricate.  If you like to learn about words, visit Kathy’s Wondrous Words Wednesday meme.  You can add your own post and read others.

On to my entry.  Audrey’s friend Linus has challenged her to talk to a stranger in Starbucks.  Her response:

“He looks really busy…” I prevaricate.  “What about someone else?”

prevaricate \pri-ˈver-ə-ˌkāt\ verb from Latin praevaricatus, to act in collusion; literally, to straddle, from prae– + varicare to straddle, from varus bowlegged

Sounds appropriate for politicians and children in trouble.  😉

Word Nerd Workout

Use prevaricate in a sentence.  Note that it’s not the same as “lie” or “fib”… it’s more like quibbling or avoiding.

The boys prevaricated about who actually struck the window with the baseball.

Don’t forget to visit Kathy’s blog for more Wondrous Words.

Thanks for getting nerdy with me!

Julia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Julia Tomiak
I believe in the power of words to improve our lives, and I help people find interesting words to read. Member of SCBWI.

4 Comments

  1. Unfortunately here in Michigan we’ve had a lot of politicians & govt officials prevaricating lately on issues ranging from lead-poisoned water to dilapidated school buildings.

  2. “Sounds appropriate for politicians and children in trouble.” HA!

    I didn’t know that one! Let’s see… when questioned by her husband about who could possibly have eaten all five pieces of leftover pizza, the wife prevaricated, mentioning the fact that all four children seemed to be hitting growth spurts at the same time and what was the likelihood of that?

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