Defn: To use words of equivocal or doubtful signification; to express one's opinions in terms which admit of different senses, with intent to deceive; to use ambiguous expressions with a view to mislead; as, to equivocate is the work of duplicity. All that Garnet had to say for him was that he supposed he meant to equivocate. Bp. Stillingfleet.
Syn.
— To prevaricate; evade; shuffle; quibble. See Prevaricate.
EQUIVOCATE
E*quiv"o*cate, v. t.
Defn: To render equivocal or ambiguous.
He equivocated his vow by a mental reservation. Sir G. Buck.
EQUIVOCATION
E*quiv`o*ca"tion, n.
Defn: The use of expressions susceptible of a double signification, with a purpose to mislead. There being no room for equivocations, there is no need of distinctions. Locke.
Syn.
— Prevarication; ambiguity; shuffling; evasion; guibbling. See
Equivocal, a., and Prevaricate, v. i.
EQUIVOCATOR
E*quiv"o*ca`tor, n.
Defn: One who equivocates. Here's an equivocator that could swear in both the scales against either scale, yet could not equivocate to heaven. Shak.
EQUIVOCATORY
E*quiv"o*ca*to*ry, a.