Temporize

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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 between two parties.


        [1913 Webster]
  
              They might their grievance inwardly complain,
              But outwardly they needs must temporize. --Daniel.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To delay; to procrastinate. [R.] --Bacon.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. To comply; to agree. [Obs.] --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  temporize
       v : draw out a discussion or process in order to gain time; "The
           speaker temporized in order to delay the vote" [syn: {temporise}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  32 Moby Thesaurus words for "temporize":
     be a timeserver, be dilatory, continue, dawdle, drag out, draw out,
     dwell on, extend, filibuster, gain time, hang, hang back,
     hang fire, hesitate, hold off, lengthen, lengthen out, linger on,
     make time, play for time, procrastinate, prolong, protract,
     put off, spin out, stall, stall for time, stall off, stooge around,
     stretch out, talk against time, trim