praevārĭcātĭo, ōnis, f. [praevaricor],
- I. a stepping out of the line of duty, a violation of duty; esp. of an advocate who has a secret understanding with the opposite party, the making of a sham accusation or defence, collusion, prevarication (class.), Cic. Part. 36, 124: de praevaricatione absolutus, id. Q. Fr. 2, 16, 3: praevaricatio est, transire dicenda; praevaricatio etiam, cursim et breviter attingere, quae sint inculcanda, infigenda, repetenda, Plin. Ep. 1, 20, 2: praevaricationis crimine corruere, id. ib. 3, 9, 34: praevaricationis damnatus, id. ib.
- II. Transgression, deviation from duty or law (eccl. Lat.): ubi enim non est lex, nec praevaricatio, Vulg. Rom. 4, 15: in redemptionem earum praevaricationum, id. Heb. 9, 15.