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ambiguity
(redirected from ambiguities)

   Also found in: Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.01 sec.
am·bi·gu·i·ty  (mb-gy-t)
n. pl. am·bi·gu·i·ties
1. Doubtfulness or uncertainty as regards interpretation: "leading a life of alleged moral ambiguity" (Anatole Broyard).
2. Something of doubtful meaning: a poem full of ambiguities.

ambiguity [ˌæmbɪˈgjuːɪtɪ]
n pl -ties
1. the possibility of interpreting an expression in two or more distinct ways
2. an instance of this, as in the sentence they are cooking apples
3. vagueness or uncertainty of meaning there are several ambiguities in the situation
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.ambiguity - an expression whose meaning cannot be determined from its context
loophole - an ambiguity (especially one in the text of a law or contract) that makes it possible to evade a difficulty or obligation
amphibology, amphiboly - an ambiguous grammatical construction; e.g., `they are flying planes' can mean either that someone is flying planes or that something is flying planes
parisology - the use of ambiguous words
double entendre - an ambiguity with one interpretation that is indelicate
locution, saying, expression - a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations; "pardon the expression"
2.ambiguity - unclearness by virtue of having more than one meaning
unclearness - incomprehensibility as a result of not being clear
evasiveness, prevarication, equivocation - intentionally vague or ambiguous
lexical ambiguity, polysemy - the ambiguity of an individual word or phrase that can be used (in different contexts) to express two or more different meanings
twilight zone, no man's land - the ambiguous region between two categories or states or conditions (usually containing some features of both); "but there is still a twilight zone, the tantalizing occurrences that are probably noise but might possibly be a signal"; "in the twilight zone between humor and vulgarity"; "in that no man's land between negotiation and aggression"
unambiguity, unequivocalness - clarity achieved by the avoidance of ambiguity

ambiguity
Translations
ambiguity [ˌæmbɪˈgjʊɪtɪ] N (= lack of clarity) → ambigüedad f; [of meaning] → doble sentido m
ambiguity [ˌæmbɪˈgjuːɪti] nambiguïté f
ambiguity
nZwei- or Doppeldeutigkeit f; (of joke, comment etc)Zweideutigkeit f; (with many possible meanings) → Mehr- or Vieldeutigkeit f
ambiguity [ˌæmbɪˈgjʊɪtɪ] nambiguità f inv


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? Mentioned in ? References in periodicals archive
 
In a Lonely Place combined different kinds of architecture: high-tech inflatable and nostalgic historicism, creating ambiguities of form and formlessness, of narrative and abstraction, and of object and experience.
Here are poems about sex, love, death, aging, the pressures of the marketplace and the ambiguities of human relationships.
Ever the provocateur, English has put together a comprehensive distillation of what is known and not known about educational leadership and the myriad of uncertainties and ambiguities that face leaders in an increasingly complex 21st century environment.
 
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