▪ I. † faˈllace, n. Obs.
Forms: 4–5 fallas, 5 falace, 4–7 fallace.
[a. F. fallace, ad. L. fallācia, f. fallax: see next.]
1. Deception, trickery, falsehood; deceitfulness; an instance of the same; = fallacy 1, 2.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 3664 (Cott.) If mi fader þat es now blind Mai mi fallace oght vnderfind. 1388 Wyclif Matt. xiii. 22 The fallace of ritchessis strangulith the word. 1483 Caxton G. de la Tour H iv, The fallaces and vanytees of the world. 1599 Hakluyt Voy. II. ii. 73 Lyes and fallaces that they did write. a 1634 Chapman Alphonsus Plays 1873 III. 235 Nay without fallace they have several Beds. |
2. A sophistical argument; = fallacy 3.
| 1532 More Confut. Tindale Wks. 637/2 A goodly false foolishe fallace. 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. ii. xiv. §6 Socrates..hath exactly expressed all the fourmes of obiection, fallace and redargution. |
▪ II. † faˈllace, a. Obs. rare—1.
[a. OF. fallace, ad. L. fallax (stem fallāci-), f. fallĕre to deceive.]
= fallacious.
| 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xvii. 231 Freres..Meuen motifs meny tymes insolibles and fallaces. |