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 The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.
- æquivocate (archaic)
From Medieval Latin aequivocātus, perfect passive participle of aequivocō (“I am called by the same name”), from Late Latin aequivocus (“ambiguous, equivocal”): confer French équivoquer. See equivocal.
- (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. -Edward Stillingfleet.
- To render equivocal or ambiguous.
- He equivocated his vow by a mental reservation. -George Buck.
- “equivocate”, in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2001–.