【Lie】 ,  【prevaricate】 ,  【equivocate】 ,  【palter】 ,  【fib】  mean to tell an untruth directly or indirectly.

【Lie】 is the straightforward word, flatly imputing dishonesty to the speaker.

【Prevaricate】  is often used in place of  【lie】 as a more formal or less offensive term; distinctively, it can imply evasion of the truth (as by quibbling, dodging the real point, or confusing the issue).

【Equivocate】 implies saying one thing and meaning another; it usually suggests the use of words that carry more than one sense in the hope that the sense which gives the incorrect impression may be the one accepted by the hearer.

【Palter】 implies a playing fast and loose, not only in statements but in dealings; it often specifically implies prevarication, equivocation, or the making of promises one does not intend to keep.

【Fib】  (see also  【LIE】  ) may be used as a euphemism for  【lie】 , but it more often implies the telling of an untruth that is trivial either in matter or in significance.