Tergiversate for Dummies

Alright, let me tell you about the word "tergiversate." Have you ever played a game where someone keeps changing their mind? You know, one moment they're on one team, and the next moment they're on the other team. It can be quite confusing, right? Well, that's sort of what "tergiversate" means.

When we say someone tergiversates, it means that they keep changing their opinion, stance, or belief on something. It's like they're flip-flopping back and forth, unsure of where they stand. Just like how people might switch teams during a game, the person who tergiversates changes their position or viewpoint on a topic. Sometimes they might do it to avoid taking a solid position or to try and please everyone.

Think of it this way: imagine you're trying to decide between two ice cream flavors, chocolate and vanilla. At first, you say you want chocolate, but then your friend convinces you that vanilla is better. So, you change your mind and say you want vanilla instead. But then, another friend tells you that chocolate is actually the best. So, you tergiversate again and say you want chocolate once more. It's like a little dance where you keep moving back and forth, unable to make up your mind and stick to one choice.

Now, let's consider another definition of "tergiversate." Sometimes, people use this word to describe the act of evading or avoiding something. It's like when you have chores to do, but you keep finding ways to delay or escape doing them. Instead of facing the tasks head-on, you tergiversate by finding excuses or distractions to avoid doing what needs to be done.

So, whether it's about changing opinions or avoiding responsibilities, "tergiversate" is all about being indecisive, wishy-washy, or evasive. It's a word that describes someone who can't make up their mind or who tries to escape facing something directly. And just like in our ice cream analogy, it can make things confusing and uncertain.