tergiversation

Roget category 607

5. Words relating to the voluntary powers
› 5.1. Volition in general
›› 5.1.1. Acts of volition

#607. Tergiversation

noun

change of mind, change of intention, change of purpose — afterthought.
tergiversation, recantation — palinode, palinody^† — renunciation — abjuration^†, abjurement — defection etc. (relinquishment) 624 — going over etc. v. — apostasy — retraction, retractation^† — withdrawal — disavowal etc. (negation) 536 — revocation, revokement^† — reversal — repentance etc. 950 — redintegratio amoris [Lat.].
coquetry — vacillation etc. 605 — backsliding — volte-face [Fr.].
turn coat, turn tippet^† — rat, apostate, renegade — convert, pervert — proselyte, deserter — backslider — blackleg, crawfish [U.S.], scab [Slang], mugwump [U.S.], recidivist.
time server, time pleaser^† — timist^†, Vicar of Bray, trimmer, ambidexter^† — weathercock etc. (changeable) 149 — Janus.

verb

change one's mind, change one's intention, change one's purpose, change one's note — abjure, renounce — withdraw from etc. (relinquish) 624 — waver, vacillate — wheel round, turn round, veer round — turn a pirouette — go over from one side to another, pass from one side to another, change from one side to another, skip from one side to another — go to the rightabout — box the compass, shift one's ground, go upon another tack.
apostatize, change sides, go over, rat — recant, retract — revoke — rescind etc. (abrogate) 756 — recall — forswear, unsay — come over, come round to an opinion — crawfish [U.S.], crawl [U.S.].
draw in one's horns, eat one's words — eat the leek, swallow the leek — swerve, flinch, back out of, retrace one's steps, think better of it — come back return to one's first love — turn over a new leaf etc. (repent) 950.
trim, shuffle, play fast and loose, blow hot and cold, coquet, be on the fence, straddle, bold with the hare but run with the hounds — nager entre deux eaux [Fr.] — wait to see how the cat jumps, wait to see how the wind blows.

adjective

changeful etc. 149 — irresolute etc. 605 — ductile, slippery as an eel, trimming, ambidextrous, timeserving^† — coquetting etc. v.. revocatory^†, reactionary.

phrase

a change came o'er the spirit of my dream" [Byron].

The content on this page comes straight from Project Gutenberg Etext of Roget's Thesaurus No. Two, which consists of the acclaimed work by Peter Mark Roget augmented with more recent material. Some changes were made to the formatting for improved readability.

Bold numbers signify related Roget categories. A dagger symbol (†) indicates archaic words and expressions no longer in common use.

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