prevarication

1. pre- "before" + varic- "straddle" + -ation.
2. => literally "walk crookedly", hence "deviate".
3. This developed in English to 'deviate from straightforward behaviour', hence 'be evasive, equivocate'.
4. 即向前叉开走，向前走叉开。反正就是偏离向前直走的方向。
5. 为什么不向前直走呢？就是为了逃避、躲避、躲闪。

prevarication (n.)

late 14c., "divergence from a right course, transgression," from Old French prevaricacion "breaking of God's laws, disobedience (to the Faith)" (12c., Modern French prévarication) and directly from Latin praevaricationem (nominative praevaricatio) "duplicity, collusion, a stepping out of line (of duty or behavior)," noun of action from past participle stem of praevaricari "to make a sham accusation, deviate," literally "walk crookedly," in Church Latin, "to transgress," from prae "before" (see pre-) + varicare "to straddle," from varicus "straddling," from varus "bowlegged, knock-kneed" (see varus). Meaning "evasion, quibbling" is attested from 1650s.

1. The longer negotiations drag on, the greater the risk of permanent prevarication.

谈判拖延的时间越久, 长期推诿责任的可能性就越大.

2. The result can be a lot of needless prevarication.

结果就是带来一堆的借口.

3. Prevarication must not be the name of the game.

而搪塞决不能成为游戏的名字.

4. Each step in the euro's defence, however, had been preceded by prevarication and followed by recriminations.

然而, 欧洲在每次出台捍卫欧元的举措之前, 都先是推诿,随后又进行指责.

5. All my attempts to question the authorities on the subject were met by evasion and prevarication.

我就这个问题质问权威的一切努力均被回避和搪塞.