equivocate vs tergiversate what difference

what is difference between equivocate and tergiversate

English

Alternative forms

• æquivocate (archaic)

Etymology

From Medieval Latin aequivocātus, perfect passive participle of aequivocō (“I am called by the same name”), from Late Latin aequivocus (“ambiguous, equivocal”): compare French équivoquer. See equivocal.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /ɪˈkwɪvəˌkeɪt/

Verb

equivocate (third-person singular simple present equivocates, present participle equivocating, simple past and past participle equivocated)

1. (intransitive) To speak using double meaning; to speak ambiguously, unclearly or doubtfully, with intent to deceive
   • 1687, Edward Stillingfleet, The Unreasonableness of Separation: Or, An Impartial Account of the History, Nature and Pleas of the Present Separation from the Communion of the Church of England

2. (transitive) To render equivocal or ambiguous.

Synonyms

• (speak ambiguously): prevaricate, evade, shuffle, quibble, adumbrate

Translations

See also

• prevaricate

Further reading

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021), “equivocate”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
• equivocate in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Italian

Verb

equivocate

1. inflection of equivocare:
   1. second-person plural present indicative
   2. second-person plural imperative
2. feminine plural of equivocato

English

Etymology

From Latin tergiversor (“turn one’s back, make excuses”); from tergum (“the back”) + versō, frequentative of vertō (“turn”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈtɜːdʒɪvəseɪt/
• (US) enPR: tər-jɪv’ər-sāt, IPA^(key): /tɝˈdʒɪvɝseɪt/

Verb

tergiversate (third-person singular simple present tergiversates, present participle tergiversating, simple past and past participle tergiversated)

1. (intransitive) To evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to obfuscate in a deliberate manner.
2. (intransitive) To change sides or affiliation; to apostatize.
3. (intransitive, rare) To flee by turning one’s back.

Synonyms

• (to evade, obfuscate): prevaricate, beat around the bush
• (to change sides): desert

Derived terms

• tergiversation

Translations

Italian

Verb

tergiversate

1. inflection of tergiversare:
   1. second-person plural present indicative
   2. second-person plural imperative
2. feminine plural of tergiversato

Anagrams

• gravitereste

Latin

Participle

tergiversāte

1. vocative masculine singular of tergiversātus

Please follow and like us: