I.to walk crookedly, not to walk straight. *
I. Lit.: “arator praevaricatur,” makes a crooked furrow, Plin. 18, 19, 49, § 179.—
II. Trop.
A. To walk crookedly in the discharge of one's duty, not to act uprightly; esp. of an advocate who is guilty of collusion with the opposite party, to make a sham accusation or defence, to collude, prevaricate: “qui praevaricatur, ex utrāque parte consistit, quinimo ex alterā,” Dig. 47, 15, 1; cf. Plin. l. c. supra: a Catilina pecuniam accepit, ut turpissime praevaricaretur, Auct. Har. Resp. 20; Plin. Ep. 3, 9, 29.—With dat., to favor collusively: “interdum non defendere, sed praevaricari accusationi videbatur,” Cic. Clu. 21, 58.—
B. Late Lat., to transgress, sin against, violate: “pactum meum,” Vulg. Jos. 7, 11: “contra me,” id. Deut. 32, 51: legem, id. Osee, 8, 1.—Also in the form praevā-rĭco , āre: “quod audivit, praevaricavit,” Aug. Tract. in Joann. 99; cf. Prisc. 8, 6, 29.
