verb
temporize
TEM-puh-ryze/ˈtempəraɪz/
To delay a decision or commitment to gain time.
The negotiator temporizes by slowly serving tea instead of signing.
Etymology
The earlier ideas of passing time and waiting one's time connect to postponing commitment. In the selected sense, waiting is a deliberate tactic for gaining time before making a decision.
In context
“Like most people, I’m going to temporize. If your friend sends the money from Benares—
More examples
- He temporizes when clients ask him to name a price.
- Rather than reject the offer, she temporized for a week.
- We cannot keep temporizing; the contractor needs an answer today.
Forms
temporize · temporizes · temporized · temporizing
Similar words
- stall
- Often delays any action, not just decisions or commitments.
- equivocate
- Uses ambiguous language to avoid taking a definite position.
- procrastinate
- Puts off action, often from reluctance rather than strategy.