Dictionary

equivocate en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ɪˈkwɪvəˌkeɪt/ (US)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Late Middle English equivocaten, from Medieval Latin aequivocātus, perfect passive participle of aequivocō (“to be called by the same name”), from Late Latin aequivocus (“ambiguous, equivocal”). Compare French équivoque.

Meanings

1. (intransitive) To speak using double meaning; to speak ambiguously, unclearly or doubtfully, with intent to deceive; to vacillate in one's answers, responding with equivoques.
   • All that Garnet had to say for him was that he supposed he meant to equivocate. 1687, Edward Stillingfleet, The Unreasonableness of Separation: Or, An Impartial Account of the History, Nature and Pleas of the Present Separation from the Communion of the Church of England:
   • Knock. Knock, knock. Who's there in th'other Deuils Name? Faith here's an Equiuocator, that could ſweare in both the Scales againſt eyther Scale, who committed Treaſon enough for Gods ſake, yet could not equiuocate to Heauen: oh come in, Equiuocator. c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii], page 137, column 1:
2. (transitive) To render equivocal or ambiguous.
   • He equivocated his vow by a mental reservation 1647, George Buck, Reign of Richard the Third:

Forms

Deriveds

nonequivocating · equivocatingly · equivocal · equivocator

Relateds

prevaricate

Synonyms

shuffle · adumbrate · evade · prevaricate

Translations (19)

es dar equivocidad (to render equivocal or ambiguous) · bg извъртам (to express one's opinions in terms which admit of different senses, with intent to deceive) · fi pyöritellä (to render equivocal or ambiguous) · pl czynić niejasnym (to render equivocal or ambiguous) · es hablar equívocamente (to express one's opinions in terms which admit of different senses, with intent to deceive) · fi väistää (to render equivocal or ambiguous) · ms berdolak-dalih (to express one's opinions in terms which admit of different senses, with intent to deceive) · es ser equívoco (to express one's opinions in terms which admit of different senses, with intent to deceive) · pl uczynić niejasnym (to render equivocal or ambiguous) · fi saattaa kyseenalaiseksi (to render equivocal or ambiguous) · fi johtaa harhaan (to express one's opinions in terms which admit of different senses, with intent to deceive) · es hablar con equivocidad (to express one's opinions in terms which admit of different senses, with intent to deceive) · pl wykręcić się od odpowiedzi (to express one's opinions in terms which admit of different senses, with intent to deceive) · fi harhauttaa (to express one's opinions in terms which admit of different senses, with intent to deceive) · pl wykręcać się od odpowiedzi (to express one's opinions in terms which admit of different senses, with intent to deceive) · sv uttrycka sig tvetydigt (to express one's opinions in terms which admit of different senses, with intent to deceive) · fi kierrellä (to render equivocal or ambiguous) · es hacer equívoco (to render equivocal or ambiguous) · tr kaçamak konuşmak (to express one's opinions in terms which admit of different senses, with intent to deceive)