DUPLICITY • FREE TRANSLATOR.ORG • Definition of Duplicity

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/duplˈɪsɪti/ Listen

noun

duplicity n. (pl. duplicities)

Doubleness; a twofold state. (Archaic) "Do not affect duplicities nor triplicities, nor any certain number of parts in your division of things."

Doubleness of heart or speech; insincerity; a sustained form of deception which consists in entertaining or pretending to entertain one set of feelings, and acting as if influenced by another; bad faith. "Far from the duplicity wickedly charged on him, he acted his part with alacrity and resolution."

(Law)

(a)

The use of two or more distinct allegations or answers, where one is sufficient.

(b)

In indictments, the union of two incompatible offenses.

Synonyms: Double dealing; dissimulation; deceit; guile; deception; falsehood.

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Etymology of 'Duplicity'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Duplicity" Quotes from Famous Books

... Such duplicity sent a queer spasm of anguish through the old lawyer. Peter's action held half a dozen barbs for the Captain. A fellow-alumnus of Harvard staying in his house merely for his wage and keep! Peter bore not the slightest affection for him; the mulatto ...

— Birthright - A Novel • T.S. Stribling

... establishment of the Governor-General and Council by act of Parliament, and their determination to withdraw the brigade from the Nabob's service,—the Resident at his court, appointed by the said Warren Hastings, having written, that he had experienced much duplicity and deceit in most of his transactions with his Excellency; and the said Nabob and his successors falling back in other payments in the same or greater proportion as he advanced in the payment of this debt, the consideration of lucre to the Company, the declared motive to this shameful ...

— The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. VIII. (of 12) • Edmund Burke

... role. Her love for me was nothing but hypocrisy! her devotion, falsehood! her caresses, lies! And I adored her! Ah! why can I not take back all the embraces I bestowed on her in exchange for her Judas kisses? And for what was all this heroism of deception, this caution, this duplicity? To betray me more securely, to despoil me, to rob me, to give to her bastard all that lawfully appertained to me; my name, a noble name, my fortune, a ...

— The Widow Lerouge - The Lerouge Case • Emile Gaboriau

... all the duplicity that this involves! It creates wretched situations, whichever way one turns. I never realized into what a labyrinth it would lead one. I should like to speak out and ...

— The Daughters of Danaus • Mona Caird

... Only a stranger to the fashionable world can take the polite assurances, which are only a form, for proofs of affection, and say he has been deceived; but only a clumsy fellow in good society calls in the aid of duplicity and flatters to become amiable. The former lacks the pure sense for independent appearance; therefore he can only give a value to appearance by truth. The second lacks reality, and wishes to replace it by appearance. Nothing is more common than to hear ...

— The Works of Frederich Schiller in English • Frederich Schiller

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