When asked if he had finished his arithmetic, he equivocated by saying, “I was working on that an hour ago.”
SYNONYM(S): quibble.Useful english dictionary. 2012.
e|quiv´o|cat´ing|ly — e|quiv|o|cate «ih KWIHV uh kayt», intransitive verb, cat|ed, cat|ing. 1. to use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead: »When asked if he had finished his arithmetic, he equivocated by saying, “I was working on that an hour ago.”… … Useful english dictionary
equivocate — e•quiv•o•cate [[t]ɪˈkwɪv əˌkeɪt[/t]] v. i. cat•ed, cat•ing to use ambiguous or unclear expressions, usu. to mislead or to avoid commitment; hedge • Etymology: 1375–1425; < ML aequivocātus, ptp. of aequivocāre; see equivocal, ate I e•quiv′o•cat … From formal English to slang
equivocate — e|quiv|o|cate [ ı kwıvə,keıt ] verb intransitive FORMAL to avoid making a clear statement by saying something that has more than one possible meaning ╾ e|quiv|o|ca|tion [ ı,kwıvə keıʃn ] noun count or uncount … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
Equivocate — E*quiv o*cate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Equivocated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Equivocating}.] [L. aequivocatus, p. p. of aequivocari to be called by the same name, fr. L. aequivocus: cf. F. [ e]quivoquer. See {Equivocal}, a.] To use words of equivocal or… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Equivocate — E*quiv o*cate, v. t. To render equivocal or ambiguous. [1913 Webster] He equivocated his vow by a mental reservation. Sir G. Buck. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Equivocated — Equivocate E*quiv o*cate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Equivocated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Equivocating}.] [L. aequivocatus, p. p. of aequivocari to be called by the same name, fr. L. aequivocus: cf. F. [ e]quivoquer. See {Equivocal}, a.] To use words of… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Equivocating — Equivocate E*quiv o*cate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Equivocated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Equivocating}.] [L. aequivocatus, p. p. of aequivocari to be called by the same name, fr. L. aequivocus: cf. F. [ e]quivoquer. See {Equivocal}, a.] To use words of… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
equivocate — e|quiv|o|cate [ıˈkwıvəkeıt] v [i]formal to avoid giving a clear or direct answer to a question >equivocation [ıˌkwıvəˈkeıʃən] n [U and C] … Dictionary of contemporary English
ness — ness·ber·ry; ness·ler·iza·tion; ness·ler·ize; ness·ler s; new·fan·gled·ness; new·ness; news·i·ness; nice·ness; nig·gard·li·ness; nig·gard·ness; nigh·ness; nip·pi·ness; no·ble·ness; nois·i·ness; non·cha·lant·ness; north·er·li·ness; north·ness;… … English syllables
ly — ly·so·genesis; ly·so·genetic; Ly·sol; ly·so·lecithin; ly·so·zyme; ly·syl; ly·thra·ce·ae; ly·thra·les; ly·thrum; mach·i·a·vel·li·an·ly; ma·chine·ly; mac·ro·ceph·a·ly; mad·ly; mag·i·cal·ly; mag·is·te·ri·al·ly; mag·is·tral·ly; mag·net·i·cal·ly;… … English syllables
