Equivocate vs Cavil - What's the difference?
equivocate | cavil |
To use words of equivocal or doubtful signification; to express one's opinions in terms which admit of different senses, with intent to deceive; to use ambiguous expressions with a view to mislead; as, to equivocate is the work of duplicity.
To render equivocal or ambiguous.
To criticise for petty or frivolous reasons.
* 1598? , William Shakespeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona , Act I, scene I:
*{{quote-book, year=1913, author=
, title=Lord Stranleigh Abroad
, chapter=5 * 1928 , D. H. Lawrence, Lady Chatterley's Lover :
A petty or trivial objection or criticism.
* 1835 , Charles G. Finney, Lectures on revivals of religion :
In lang=en terms the difference between equivocate and cavil
is that equivocate is to use words of equivocal or doubtful signification; to express one's opinions in terms which admit of different senses, with intent to deceive; to use ambiguous expressions with a view to mislead; as, to equivocate is the work of duplicity while cavil is to criticise for petty or frivolous reasons.As verbs the difference between equivocate and cavil
is that equivocate is to use words of equivocal or doubtful signification; to express one's opinions in terms which admit of different senses, with intent to deceive; to use ambiguous expressions with a view to mislead; as, to equivocate is the work of duplicity while cavil is to criticise for petty or frivolous reasons.As a noun cavil is
a petty or trivial objection or criticism.equivocate
English
(Webster 1913)Alternative forms
* (archaic)Verb
(equivocat)- All that Garnet had to say for him was that he supposed he meant to equivocate . -.
- He equivocated his vow by a mental reservation. -.
Synonyms
* prevaricate * evade * shuffle * quibble * dodge * adumbrateSee also
* prevaricateExternal links
* ----cavil
English
Alternative forms
* cavel, cavellVerb
- 'Tis love you cavil at: I am not Love.
citation, passage=Stranleigh found no difficulty in getting a cavalcade together at Bleacher’s station, an amazingly long distance west of New York. A man finds little trouble in obtaining what he wants, if he never cavils at the price asked, and is willing to pay in advance.}}
- I wish you wouldn't cavil , Hilda.
Synonyms
* be hypercritical, nitpick, pettifog, split hairsNoun
(en noun)- It is not worth while to spend your time in arguing against a cavil , but make him feel he is committing a sin to plead it, and thus enlist his conscience on your side.