amphibological, a.
(æmˌfɪbəˈlɒdʒɪkəl)
[f. amphibology + -ical; perh. f. Fr. amphibologique 14 c.]
Ambiguous: prop. of a sentence or phrase of ambiguous construction; equivocating, quibbling.
| 1577 Holinshed Chron. (1587) III. 1245/2 He that..wrote the amphibologicall epistle for the death of the king. 1587 Greene 2nd Pt. Tritameron Wks. 1882 III. 127 Needles Allegories that haue such an amphibologicall equivocation. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. iii. iii. i. ii. (1651) 607 [He] ingratiates himself with an amphibological speech. 1836 Hor. Smith Tin Trum. 30 An apology which he gave in the following amphibological terms—‘I called you a liar,—it is true. You spoke truth. I have told a lie.’ |