Thus he, though conscious of the ethereal guest,
Answered evasive of the sly request. --Pope.
[1913 Webster]
Stammered out a few evasive phrases. --Macaulay. -- {E*va"sive*ly}, adv. -- {E*va"sive*ness}, n. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
evasive — eva·sive /i vā siv, ziv/ adj: tending or intending to evade ◇ Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 37(a)(3), an evasive or incomplete answer to an interrogatory or to a question at a deposition is treated as a failure to answer and may be… … Law dictionary
evasive — ► ADJECTIVE 1) tending to avoid commitment or self revelation. 2) directed towards avoidance or escape: evasive action. DERIVATIVES evasively adverb evasiveness noun … English terms dictionary
evasive — 1725, from Fr. évasif, from L. evas , pp. stem of evadere (see EVASION (Cf. evasion)). Related: Evasively; evasiveness … Etymology dictionary
evasive — [adj] deceitful, tricky ambiguous, cagey, casuistic, casuistical, cunning, deceptive, devious, dissembling, elusive, elusory, equivocating, false, fugitive, greasy, indirect, intangible, lying, misleading, oblique, prevaricating, shifty,… … New thesaurus
evasive — [ē vā′siv, ivā′siv] adj. [< L evasus (see EVASION) + IVE] 1. tending or seeking to evade; not straightforward; tricky; equivocal 2. hard to catch, grasp, etc.; elusive evasively adv. evasiveness n … English World dictionary
evasive — e|va|sive [ıˈveısıv] adj 1.) not willing to answer questions directly evasive about ▪ Paul s being a bit evasive about this job. ▪ an evasive reply 2.) take evasive action to move or do something quickly to avoid someone being hurt ▪ Both pilots… … Dictionary of contemporary English
evasive — [[t]ɪve͟ɪsɪv[/t]] 1) ADJ GRADED If you describe someone as evasive, you mean that they deliberately avoid giving clear direct answers to questions. He was evasive about the circumstances of his first meeting with Stanley Dean... Direct questions… … English dictionary
evasive — e|va|sive [ ı veısıv ] adjective not talking or answering questions in an honest way: a series of evasive replies evasive about: The president remains evasive about the site of the proposed nuclear tests. take evasive action to do something to… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
evasive — UK [ɪˈveɪsɪv] / US adjective not talking or answering questions in an honest way a series of evasive replies evasive about: The president remains evasive about the site of the proposed nuclear tests. • take evasive action Derived words: evasively … English dictionary
évasive — ● évasif, évasive adjectif (de évasion) Qui cherche à éluder une décision, une affirmation catégorique, qui reste imprécis, vague : Faire une réponse évasive. ● évasif, évasive (synonymes) adjectif (de évasion) Qui cherche à éluder une décision,… … Encyclopédie Universelle
