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Preferred term

equivocation  

Definition

  • Equivocation is communication that is ambiguous, indirect, contradictory, or evasive. One dramatic example has come down through the centuries: In 1170, at the height of a dispute with Archbishop Thomas á Becket, King Henry II exclaimed, “Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest?” Then, when four of his knights murdered Becket, Henry denied responsibility. [Source: Encyclopedia of Human Relationships; Equivocation]

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https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/equivocation

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