temporized

Verb

temporize (third-person singular simple present temporizes, present participle temporizing, simple past and past participle temporized)

1. (British, English, Oxford, US, intransitive) To deliberately act evasively or prolong a discussion in order to gain time or postpone a decision, sometimes so that a compromise can be reached or simply to make a conversation more temperate; to stall for time.
   • “There are more answers to that than you may think,” Chih temporized, because there were, but they could see that there was only one answer that really mattered to tigers.2020, Nghi Vo, When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain, chapter 8
2. (British, English, Oxford, US, broadly, intransitive) To discuss, to negotiate; to reach a compromise.
   • The Dolphin is too wilfull oppoſite, / And will not temporize with my intreaties: / He flatly ſaies, heell not lay downe his Armes.c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
3. (British, English, Oxford, US, transitive) To apply a temporary piece of dental work that will later be removed.
   • This is especially true when we're faced with temporizing a patient who will ultimately receive veneer restorations.2005, Dental Economics, volume 95, Tulsa, Okla.: PennWell Corporation, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 66
4. (British, English, Oxford, US, archaic, intransitive) To comply with the occasion or time; to humour, or yield to, current circumstances or opinion; also, to trim (“fluctuate between parties, so as to appear to favour each”).
   • Yet ſeeking at the firſt to temporize, / She tries if that ſome ſhort impriſonment / would calme their heat; when that would not ſuffize, / Then to exile him ſhee muſt needes conſent: [...]1595, Samuel Daniel, “The Fovvrth Booke”, in The First Fowre Bookes of the Ciuile Wars between the Two Houses of Lancaster and Yorke, London: […] P[eter] Short for Simon Waterson, →OCLC, stanza 102...
5. (British, English, Oxford, US, intransitive, obsolete) To delay, especially until a more favourable time; to procrastinate.
   • Pedro. Nay, if Cupid haue not ſpent all his quiuer in Venice, thou wilt quake for this ſhortly. / Bened[ick]. I looke for an earthquake too then. / Pedro. Well, you will temporize with the howres, [...]1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, Much Adoe about Nothing. […], quarto edition, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley, published 1600, →OCLC, [Act I...
6. (British, English, Oxford, US, transitive) To take temporary measures or actions to manage a situation without providing a definitive or permanent solution.