equivocation
[ ih-kwiv-uh-key-shuh n ]
/ ɪˌkwɪv əˈkeɪ ʃən /
noun
RELATED CONTENT
Weasel Words And Other Ways We Avoid Telling The TruthMost of us know what the word lying means, but what happens when someone carefully skirts the truth instead of telling a bold-faced whopper? Politicians, in particular, are well known for making use of equivocal language as a way of hiding their true actions.
RELATED WORDS
prevarication, duplicity, delusion, waffle, casuistry, lie, coloring, deception, evasion, fib, ambiguity, tergiversation, song, speciousness, doubtfulness, deceit, line, misrepresentation, cover-up, cover
Nearby words
- equivalent weight,
- equivalve,
- equivocal,
- equivocally,
- equivocate,
- equivocator,
- equivoque,
- equuleus,
- er,
- er rif
Origin of equivocation
1350–1400; Middle English equivocacion < Late Latin aequivocātiōn- (stem of aequivocātiō). See equivocate, -ion
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for equivocation
equivocation
/ (ɪˌkwɪvəˈkeɪʃən) /
noun
the act or an instance of equivocating
logic a fallacy based on the use of the same term in different senses, esp as the middle term of a syllogism, as the badger lives in the bank, and the bank is in the High Street, so the badger lives in the High Street
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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equivocation
late 14c., "the fallacy of using a word in different senses at different stages of the reasoning" (a loan-translation of Greek homonymia, literally "having the same name"), from Old French equivocation, from Late Latin aequivocationem (nominative aequivocatio), from aequivocus "of identical sound," past participle of aequivocare, from aequus "equal" (see equal (adj.)) + vocare "to call" (see voice (n.)).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper