equivocation

[Low Lat. æquivocatio, from æquivoco. A word introduced by the school men. (Trench: Study of Words (2d ed.), p. 77.)] 1. ( Orig .): The act of calling two ideas by one word; ambiguity of speech. "All words being arbitrary signs, are ambiguous; and few disputers have the jealousy and skill which is nece ary to discu equivocations , and to take verbal differences for material."- Baxter in Trench's Glo ary, pp. 71, 72. 2. Prevarication, quibbling, evasion. "We must speak by the card, or equivocation will undo us." - Shakesp .: Hamlet, v. 1.