prevarication

noun5

1. •
   Evasion of the truth.

   • Prevarication became the order of the day in his government while truth was a stranger in those halls.
2. •
   A false or deceitful seeming to undertake a thing for the purpose of defeating or destroying it.

   • If it shall appeare, that they haue forfeited their Faith, or wronged their Client by preuarication. — 1628
3. •
   (historical) The collusion of an informer with the defendant, for the purpose of making a sham prosecution.
4. •
   A secret abuse in the exercise of a public office.
5. •
   (no longer used) Deviation from what is right or correct.