palter
/'pɔ:ltə/
Definition
- Verb:
- To speak or act in an evasive, ambiguous, or misleading way, often to avoid telling the full truth or to deceive.
Usage
- palter is an intransitive verb, often followed by the preposition with. It describes the act of being deliberately unclear, hedging, or using equivocal language.
- It implies dishonesty or a lack of candor, suggesting someone is being tricky or insincere in communication.
Examples
- The politician chose to palter when asked about the scandal, giving vague answers that satisfied no one.
- Don't palter with me; I need a straight yes or no.
- In the negotiation, he paltered about the delivery dates, hoping to secure the deal without making a firm commitment.
Advanced Usage
- To palter in a double sense: To use words that have two possible meanings, allowing the speaker to mislead while maintaining a technical truth. This is a classic rhetorical trick.
- The witness paltered in a double sense, so his testimony was useless.
Variants and Related Words
- Equivocate (verb): To use ambiguous language to conceal the truth or avoid commitment. (A close synonym, often used interchangeably with ).
- Prevaricate (verb): To speak or act in an evasive way. (Slightly more formal than ).
- Hedge (verb): To avoid giving a direct answer or commitment.
Synonyms
- Equivocate
- Prevaricate
- Hedge
- Quibble
- Beat around the bush
Related Phrases
- To palter with the truth: A common collocation meaning to be evasive or dishonest about the facts.
- He was accused of paltering with the truth during the investigation.
Notes on Meaning
- While palter primarily means to be evasive or misleading, some historical or literary uses can imply trivializing or treating something as unimportant (e.g., "to palter with a serious subject"). However, the core modern meaning centers on ambiguous or deceptive speech.
Verb
-
be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information
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