duplicity

n.; pl. duplicities [ F. duplicité, L. duplicitas, fr. duplex double. See Duplex. ] 1. Doubleness; a twofold state. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Do not affect duplicities nor triplicities, nor any certain number of parts in your division of things. I. Watts. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Far from the duplicity wickedly charged on him, he acted his part with alacrity and resolution. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Law) (a) The use of two or more distinct allegations or answers, where one is sufficient. Blackstone. (b) In indictments, the union of two incompatible offenses. Wharton.

Syn. -- Double dealing; dissimulation; deceit; guile; deception; falsehood. [ 1913 Webster ]