hedging

Plural: hedgings

Noun

• The act of reducing risks, or avoiding direct answers or commitments.
• any technique designed to reduce or eliminate financial risk; for example, taking two positions that will offset each other if prices change
• an intentionally noncommittal or ambiguous statement
  • "when you say `maybe' you are just hedging"
• The act of one who hedges (in various senses).
• Any plant used to form a hedge.
• The use of intentionally ambiguous or noncommittal statements.

Verb

• avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues)
• hinder or restrict with or as if with a hedge
• enclose or bound in with or as it with a hedge or hedges
• minimize loss or risk
• present participle and gerund of hedge

Examples

• His constant hedging, playing safe words, frustrated his aggressive Words With Friends opponent.

Synonyms

circumvent, dodge, duck, elude, evade, fudge, hedge, hedge in, parry, put off, sidestep, skirt