equivocate

See also: equivócate

English

Part or all of this entry has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.
(See the entry for equivocate in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.)

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Medieval Latin aequivocātus, perfect passive participle of aequivocō (“I am called by the same name”), from Late Latin aequivocus (“ambiguous, equivocal”): compare French équivoquer. See equivocal.

Pronunciation
  • (US) IPA(key): /ɪˈkwɪvəˌkeɪt/
  • Audio (US)(file)

Verb

equivocate (third-person singular simple present equivocates, present participle equivocating, simple past and past participle equivocated)

  1. (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.
    All that Garnet had to say for him was that he supposed he meant to equivocate. (Can we date this quote by Edward Stillingfleet?).
  2. To render equivocal or ambiguous.
    He equivocated his vow by a mental reservation. (Can we date this quote by George Buck?)

Synonyms

Translations

See also

Further reading
  • “equivocate” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2001–2019.

Italian

Verb

equivocate

  1. second-person plural present indicative of equivocare
  2. second-person plural imperative of equivocare
  3. feminine plural of equivocato
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