Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- intransitive verb To use equivocal language to deceive someone or avoid committing oneself to a position. synonym: lie.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Having a double signification.
- To use words of a doubtful signification; express one's opinions in terms which admit of different interpretations; specifically, to use ambiguous expressions with a view to mislead; prevaricate.
- To render equivocal; render false or lying.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- intransitive verb 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.
- transitive verb To render equivocal or ambiguous.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb intransitive 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.
- verb To render equivocal or ambiguous.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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The safe bet is that Democrats will again equivocate to avoid what would, by necessity, be the impeachment of the Vice President.
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There is also another meaning of the word equivocate in popular usage.
Reasons to Believe - 2009
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If I had stuck with the word all and given Vorster a little room to equivocate, I might have left the diplomats a little happier and given Vorster less chance to demagogue the event for home consumption.
The Good Fight Walter F. Mondale 2010
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If I had stuck with the word all and given Vorster a little room to equivocate, I might have left the diplomats a little happier and given Vorster less chance to demagogue the event for home consumption.
The Good Fight Walter F. Mondale 2010
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If I had stuck with the word all and given Vorster a little room to equivocate, I might have left the diplomats a little happier and given Vorster less chance to demagogue the event for home consumption.
The Good Fight Walter F. Mondale 2010
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"Bathers have been suggested to equivocate a H2O from Wednesday in to a weekend."
Archive 2009-11-01 admin 2009
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Some of his unfamiliar travels competence have been entirely motivated by a search for amicable progress, nonetheless his multiform hospitalizations abroad do raise a possibility which he hoped to equivocate broadside about his illness.
Philadelphia Reflections: Shakspere Society of Philadelphia admin 2009
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In on foot after a suggestion you contingency equivocate all haste.
Archive 2009-11-01 admin 2009
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First, you equivocate over warming in the past and contemporary warming; the second is the “complex question” form in which you lowball your estimates at the end.
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Likewise equivocate AbsoluteWriters Water Cooler for info as good as inspiration.
TV Anime Guide for Nov 09 Updated 1 Nov 09 admin 2009
padawan commented on the word equivocate
equivocate: to mislead.
equivocarse: to be mistaken.
January 10, 2008
Prolagus commented on the word equivocate
I am in earnest
I will not equivocate
I will not excuse
I will not retreat a single inch;
and I will be heard.
William Lloyd Garrison
March 12, 2008