v. [a. F. temporiser (14–15th c. in Hatz.-Darm.) to pass one’s time, wait one’s time, = med.L. temporizāre = temporāre to put off the time, delay (Du Cange), It. temporeggiare to observe, obey, or follow times (Florio), f. L. tempus, tempor- time: see -IZE.]
1. intr. To adopt some course for the time or occasion; hence, to adapt oneself or conform to the time and circumstances; to ‘trim.’
[1555–63: cf. TEMPORIZER 1.]
1579. G. Harvey, Letter-bk. (Camden), 69. I pray the spare the world And give men leave to temporize.
1617. Moryson, Itin., II. 51. Most part of the rest temporised with the State, openly professing obedience … but secretly relieuing the rebels.
1752. Fielding, Amelia, IX. ix. How do you expect to rise in the church, if you cannot temporise, and give in to the opinion of your supporters?
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., viii. II. 298. Penn, therefore, exhorted the fellows … to submit, or at least to temporise.
1877. Froude, Short Stud. (1883), IV. I. iii. 38. The pope … had privately advised Becket to avoid a quarrel with the king and to temporise.
† b. trans. Obs. rare.
1600. [see TEMPORIZED below].
† 2. intr. To let time pass, spend time, ‘mark time’; to procrastinate; to delay or wait for a more favorable moment. Also with it. Obs. exc. as in 3.
1579–80. North, Plutarch (1676), 358. Charging them they should not stir, and only to temporize and forbear, untill the Enemies came within a stones cast of them.
1600. Holland, Livy, XXIV. xiii. 517. So Anniball contrariwise temporised, being not so readie now to credite the Nolanes.
1633. T. Stafford, Pac. Hib., I. xiii. (1821), 147. Having temporized all this while.
1694. Motteux, Rabelais, V. xviii. (1737), 76. We lay by and run adrift, that is, in a Landlopers Phrase, we temporis’d it.
1696. Phillips (ed. 5), Temporize … also, to delay, to take time to consider.
3. intr. To act, negotiate, parley, treat, deal (with a person, etc.), so as to gain time.
1586. J. Hooker, Hist. Irel, in Holinshed, II. 118/1. They did yet so temporise with them, as they gained time, till further order might be taken.
1586. Day, Eng. Secretary, I. (1625), A iij b. My prouision is too small to perfect on a sudden so spacious a ground-worke, I will temporize with those duties which … by time may be in me supported.
1871. Freeman, Norm. Conq., IV. xviii. 133. William was still temporizing with Stigand; the time for his degradation was not yet come.
4. To negotiate, to discuss terms; to arrange or make terms, to effect a compromise (with a person, etc., between persons or parties).
1579. Fenton, Guicciard., I. (1599), 4. Knowing discreetely howe to temporise betweene Princes confederate.
1586. J. Hooker, Hist. Irel., in Holinshed, II. 242/1. His lordship granted hir request, and temporised with the earle.
1636. E. Dacres, trans. Machiavel’s Disc. Livy, I. 137. The safer course is, to temporise with it, then strive forthwith to extinguish it.
1823. Scott, Peveril, xxxvi. I have behaved like a fool…; I ought to have temporised with this singular being, learned the motives of its interference, and availed myself of its succour.
1863. Kinglake, Crimea, I. iii. 48. This calm Mahometan … strove to temporise as well as he could betwixt the angry Churches.
† b. trans. ? To negotiate, manage, accomplish (a result). Obs. rare.
1596. Warner, Alb. Eng., X. lvii. (1612), 251. Of ancient Peeres, of valiant Men, great Lords, and Wise men all, By forced Warre, or fraudfull peace to temporize the fall.
¶ 5. trans. To provide for the time, improvise, extemporize. (Erroneous use.)
1880. J. Nicol, Poems, & Songs, 41. No fire nor firing, goblet, pan, nor pot Nor wherewithal to temporize a bed.
Hence Temporized ppl. a.; † Temporizement (obs. nonce-wd.), = TEMPORIZATION 1.
1600. W. Watson, Decacordon (1602), 20. Whether then all religious zeale, being turned into temporized platformes, to cast omnia pro tempore, nihil pro veritate. Ibid., 33. [The Jesuits] were vnworthy the name of temporized statists … if they should not denie all and change their opinions, agreeing to time, person and place.
1647. M. Hudson, Div. Right Govt., Ep. Ded. 5. I hope … [to] vindicate the innocency of my thoughts from all such unworthy Sycophancy and Temporizement.
