a. and sb. Forms: (4 equivoc, 6 -ocke, equyuoke, 7 equivok), 7–8 æquivoque, (7 -voc, -voke), 7– equivoke, -que. [ad. L. æquivocus: see EQUIVOCAL.]
† A. adj. = EQUIVOCAL in various senses. Obs.
1388. Wyclif, Prol., 59. Wordis equiuok, that is, that hath manie significacions vndur oo lettre.
1574. Life 70th Abp. Canterb., To Rdr. D vij. Which name [fora], I thincke, is therefore equiuocke to a Market and courte, because in both all things are to be solde euen as in Rome.
c. 1650. Brome, Agst. Corrupted Sack (R.). Thou … art a bastard got by th’ town By equivoque generation.
† b. quasi-sb. with pl. ending: Things (specified) which are equivocal. Obs.
1541. R. Copland, Guydon’s Quest. Chirurg., Manner Exam. Lazars, Q ij. They that ought to iudge and approue them shulde ryght dylygently beholde theym & considre the vnyuoke sygnes and equyuokes also.
B. sb.
† 1. A thing that is called by the same name as something else. Obs. [after Gr. ὁμώνυμον].
1599. Blundevil, Art of Logike, 13. Equiuokes be such things as haue one selfe name, and yet be diuers in substance or definition, as a naturall dogge, and a certaine starre in the firmament are both called by one name in Latine Canis, yet they be nothing like in substance, kinde or nature.
1655–60. Stanley, Hist. Philos. (1701), 120/2. There is a treatise of Æquivokes under Xenophon’s name.
2. An expression capable of more than one meaning; a play upon words, often of a humorous nature, a pun; word-play, punning.
1614. Selden, Titles Hon., 72.
1619. Drumm. of Hawth., Conv. B. Jonson, Wks. 226. W. Alexander … hath sextains … echoes and equivoques, which he [Petrarch] hath not.
1729. Swift, Corr., II. 632. Beyond the power of conception … or, to avoid an equivoque, beyond the extent of my ideas.
a. 1734. North, Exam., II. v. § 47 (1740), 343. Here ’s his old Equivoque; by Papists, he means the King, Ministry and Loyal Party.
1824. Dibdin, Libr. Comp., 589. Who mistook equivoque, abuse, and impudence, for wit.
1834. Gentl. Mag., CIV. I. 219. The dialogue is … enlivened by much facetious and amusing equivoque.
1866. Felton, Anc. & Mod. Gr., II. xi. 476. The Greeks consoled themselves as well as they could by the equivoque of the Bavarian and Barbarian.
3. Ambiguity of speech; double meaning in words or phrases used. Also transf.
1809–10. Coleridge, Friend (ed. 3), I. 202. The equivoque between an action and a series of motions.
1833. Sir J. Herschel, Astron., xiii. 415. Confusion, owing to the equivoque between the lunar and calendar month.
1847. Lewes, Hist. Philos. (1867), I. Introd. 23. And to avoid equivoque I shall use the words Metaphysical Philosophy.
1878. F. Harrison, in Fortn. Rev., Nov., 700. Right is perhaps that idea which has led to the greatest amount of sophism and equivoque.
4. The use of words in a double meaning with intent to deceive; = EQUIVOCATION. rare.
1616. B. Jonson, Devil an Ass (1692), III. iii. What do you value this at, thirty Pound? Gui. No, sir, he cost me forty ere he was set. Mer. Turnings you mean? I know your Equivokes.
1877. Morley, Crit. Misc., Ser. II. 152. Every man … is called upon to keep himself clear from mendacity and equivoke.
