n. An obsequious compliance with the spirit of the times, or the humors of those in power, which implies a surrender of one's independence, and sometimes of one's integrity. [ 1913 Webster ] Syn. -- Temporizing. -- Timeserving, Temporizing. Both these words are applied to the conduct of one who adapts himself servilely to times and seasons. A timeserver is rather active, and a temporizer, passive. One whose policy is timeserving comes forward to act upon principles or opinions which may promote his advancement; one who is temporizing yields to the current of public sentiment or prejudice, and shrinks from a course of action which might injure him with others. The former is dishonest; the latter is weak; and both are contemptible. [ 1913 Webster ] Trimming and timeserving, which are but two words for the same thing, . . . produce confusion. South. [ 1913 Webster ] [ I ] pronounce thee . . . a hovering temporizer, that
Canst with thine eyes at once see good and evil,
Inclining to them both. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] | 