[f. low L. æquivocāt- ppl. stem of æquivocā-re to call by the same name, f. late L. æquivoc-us: see EQUIVOCAL. Cf. It. equivocare, Fr. équivoquer.]
† 1. intr. To have the same sound with. Obs.
1611. Cotgr., s.v. Promesse, The words fol lie equivocate vnto folie. Ibid., s.v. Sens, This word [Sens] … equivocates with Cent, a hundred.
† 2. trans. To resemble so closely as to occasion mistake. Obs.
1681. P. Rycaut, trans. Gracian’s Critick, 120. Making Hell, with these Sports, and Pastimes equivocate a Paradise. Ibid., 158. Such twins both in colour, and bigness, that one equivocates the other.
† 3. intr. To use a word in more than one application or sense; to use words of double meaning; to deal in ambiguities. Obs.
1613. R. C., Table Alph. (ed. 3), Equivocate, to speake doubtfully.
1635. Austin, Medit., 98. Hee doth not equivocate: but his meaning is [etc.].
1685. Baxter, Paraphr. N. T., 1 Cor. xv. Annot., To … place those with the blessed Spirits, is but to equivocate, and not to use the Words univocally.
1681–6. J. Scott, Chr. Life (1747), III. 37. Either … he meant according to the common Sense, or … he intended to equivocate.
† b. trans. To misapprehend through ambiguity of language. Obs.
1665. J. Serjeant, Sure-footing, 207. To put the point of Faith out of danger of being equivocated.
4. intr. In bad sense: ‘To mean one thing and express another’ (J.); to prevaricate.
1590. Sandys, Europæ Spec. (1632), 102. Making it lawfull for them to æquivocate with their adversaries in their answeres.
1727. De Foe, Syst. Magic, I. iii. (1840), 84. It is enough if he does but equivocate, and tacitly grant it.
1832. Ht. Martineau, Ireland, v. 88. By equivocating, hesitating, and giving ambiguous answers, she effected her purpose.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 379. The witness shuffled, equivocated, pretended to misunderstand the questions.
† 5. trans. a. To insinuate by equivocation. b. To evade (an oath, a promise) by equivocation.
1626. L. Owen, Spec. Jesuit. (1629), 20. To equiuocate and falsie their oaths and faiths.
1645. T. Hill, Olive-br. Peace (1648), 14. Though you will not swear (perhaps), God knows whether you will not equivocate a lye in your Trading.
1646. Sir G. Buck, Rich. III., 142. He equivocated his Vow by a Mental Reservation.
a. 1649. Drumm. of Hawth., Wks. (1711), 201. When an oath … should oblige you to arise in arms … ye … endeavour now to make evasions and equivocate it.
