temporize

Temporize — Tem po*rize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Temporized}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Temporizing}.] [F. temporiser. See {Temporal} of time.] 1. To comply with the time or occasion; to humor, or yield to, the current of opinion or circumstances; also, to trim, as… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

temporize — index delay, stall, suspend Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

temporize — (v.) 1550s (implied in temporizer), from M.Fr. temporiser to pass one s time, wait one s time (14c.), from M.L. temporizare pass time, perhaps via V.L. *temporare to delay, from L. tempus (gen. temporis) time. Related: Temporized; temporizing …   Etymology dictionary

temporize — (Amer.) tem·po·rize || tempÉ™raɪz v. fit oneself to the time constraints; put off, postpone; evade a decision, avoid an answer (also temporise) …   English contemporary dictionary

temporize — (also temporise) ► VERB ▪ act in an evasive or delaying way to gain time before committing oneself. ORIGIN French temporiser bide one s time …   English terms dictionary

temporize — [tem′pə rīz΄] vi. temporized, temporizing [Fr temporiser < ML temporizare < L tempus, time: see TEMPER] 1. to suit one s actions to the time, occasion, or circumstances, without reference to principle 2. a) to give temporary compliance or… …   English World dictionary

temporize — UK [ˈtempəraɪz] / US [ˈtempəˌraɪz] verb [intransitive] Word forms temporize : present tense I/you/we/they temporize he/she/it temporizes present participle temporizing past tense temporized past participle temporized formal to delay doing… …   English dictionary

temporize — intransitive verb ( rized; rizing) Etymology: Middle French temporiser, from Medieval Latin temporizare to pass the time, from Latin tempor , tempus Date: 1579 1. to act to suit the time or occasion ; yield to current or dominant opinion 2. to… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

temporize — See temporize, extemporize …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

temporize — temporization, n. temporizer, n. temporizingly, adv. /tem peuh ruyz /, v.i., temporized, temporizing. 1. to be indecisive or evasive to gain time or delay acting. 2. to comply with the time or occasion; yield temporarily or ostensibly to… …   Universalium

temporize — verb To deliberately act evasively or prolong a discussion in order to gain time or postpone a decision, sometimes in order to reach a compromise or simply to make a conversation more temperate …   Wiktionary