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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.
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temporize
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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, extemporize — Temporize means to compromise, to act evasively so as to gain time or advantage, to postpone action or a decision : We need relief; don t temporize any longer. Many a public official has found that he must temporize if he wishes to hold his… … 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
