v. t. To make toneless; to deprive of vowel quality. -- De*vo`cal*i*za"tion, n. [1913 Webster]

If we take a high vowel, such as (i) [= nearly i of bit], and devocalize it, we obtain a hiss which is quite distinct enough to stand for a weak (jh). H. Sweet. [1913 Webster]

a. [ L. aequivocus: aequus equal + vox, vocis, word. See Equal, and Voice, and cf. Equivoque. ] 1. (Literally, called equally one thing or the other; hence:) Having two significations equally applicable; capable of double interpretation; of doubtful meaning; ambiguous; uncertain; as, equivocal words; an equivocal sentence. [ 1913 Webster ]

For the beauties of Shakespeare are not of so dim or equivocal a nature as to be visible only to learned eyes. Jeffrey. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters; deserving to be suspected; as, his actions are equivocal. “Equivocal repentances.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Uncertain, as an indication or sign; doubtful. “How equivocal a test.” Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

Equivocal chord (Mus.), a chord which can be resolved into several distinct keys; one whose intervals, being all minor thirds, do not clearly indicate its fundamental tone or root; the chord of the diminished triad, and the diminished seventh.

Syn. -- Ambiguous; doubtful; uncertain; indeterminate. -- Equivocal, Ambiguous. We call an expression ambiguous when it has one general meaning, and yet contains certain words which may be taken in two different senses; or certain clauses which can be so connected with other clauses as to divide the mind between different views of part of the meaning intended. We call an expression equivocal when, taken as a whole, it conveys a given thought with perfect clearness and propriety, and also another thought with equal propriety and clearness. Such were the responses often given by the Delphic oracle; as that to Crœsus when consulting about a war with Persia: “If you cross the Halys, you will destroy a great empire.” This he applied to the Persian empire, which lay beyond that river, and, having crossed, destroyed his own empire in the conflict. What is ambiguous is a mere blunder of language; what is equivocal is usually intended to deceive, though it may occur at times from mere inadvertence. Equivocation is applied only to cases where there is a design to deceive. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A word or expression capable of different meanings; an ambiguous term; an equivoque. [ 1913 Webster ]

In languages of great ductility, equivocals like that just referred to are rarely found. Fitzed. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an equivocal manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being equivocal. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Phon.) Situated between vowels; immediately preceded and followed by vowel sounds, as, p in occupy, d in idea, etc. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. [ Multi- + vocal. ] Signifying many different things; of manifold meaning; equivocal. “An ambiguous multivocal word.” Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- n. A multivocal word. [ R. ] Fitzed. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not vocal; destitute of tone. -- n. A nonvocal consonant. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. (Phonology) not vocalic; not having vowel character; -- used of liquids and nasals. Opposite of vocalic.
Syn. -- consonantal, nonsyllabic. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. (Phon.) Of or pertaining to a semivowel; half cocal; imperfectly sounding. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. & n. Same as Subtonic. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not equivocal; not doubtful; not ambiguous; evident; sincere; plain; as, unequivocal evidence; unequivocal words. -- Un`e*quiv"o*cal*ly, adv. -- Un`e*quiv"o*cal*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. univocus; unus one + vox, vocis, a voice, word. See One, and Voice. ] 1. Having one meaning only; -- contrasted with equivocal. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Having unison of sound, as the octave in music. See Unison, n., 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Having always the same drift or tenor; uniform; certain; regular. [ R. ] Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Unequivocal; indubitable. [ Obs. ] Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Aristotelian Logic) A generic term, or a term applicable in the same sense to all the species it embraces. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A word having but one meaning. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a univocal manner; in one term; in one sense; not equivocally. [ 1913 Webster ]

How is sin univocally distinguished into venial and mortal, if the venial be not sin? Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

See obnoxious.
See observable.
See observant.
See obstructive.
See obvious.
See official.
See officious.
See oppressive.
See ordinary.
See ordinate.
See original.
See ornamental.
See orthodox.
See ostentatious.
See pacifiable.
See pacific.
See painful.
See palatable.
See parallelable.
See pardonable.
See partable.
See participant.
See passionate.
See pastoral.
See pathetic.
See patriotic.
See peaceable.
See peaceful.
See pedantic.
See perceivable.
See perceptible.
See perilous.
See permanent.
See personable.
See perspirable.
See persuadable.
See persuasive.
See philanthropic.
See philosophic.
See philosophical.
See physical.
See picturesque.
See pierceable.
See pitiful.
See plain.
See plausible.
See plausive.
See pleadable.
See pleasurable.
See pliable.
See pliant.
See plumb.
See poetic.
See poetical.
See political.
See popular.
See populous.
See portable.
See potable.
See precarious.
See precise.
See pregnant.
See prejudicate.
See prelatical.
See premeditable.
See presentable.
See preservable.
See presumptuous.
See pretentious.
See pretty.
See prevalent.
See priestly.
See primitive.
See princely.
See procurable.
See producible.
See productive.
See professional.
See profitable.
See prolific.
See pronounceable.
See prophetic.
See propitious.
See proportionable.
See proportionate.
See prosperous.
See provable.
See punctilious.
See punctual.
See punishable.
See pure.
See qualifiable.
See quenchable.
See quiet.
See rational.
See readable.
See reasonable.
See recallable.
See reclaimable.
See recognizable.
See reconcilable.
See recoverable.
See recumbent.
See reformable.
See refusable.
See regardable.
See regardant.
See relative.
See relievable.
See reluctant.
See remarkable.
See remediable.
See rememberable.
See remorseful.
See removable.
See remunerative.
See repairable.
See repealable.
See repentant.
See reprovable.
See repugnant.
See requisite.
See requitable.
See resolvable.
See respectable.
See restful.
See retentive.
See returnable.
See revengeful.
See ridable.
See ridiculous.
See rightful.
See romantic.
See rough.
See royal.
See ruinable.
See ruly.
See sacrificial.
See safe.
See sage.
See sailable.
See salable.
See sane.
See sanguine.
See sanitary.
See satisfactory.
See satisfiable.
See saturable.
See savory.
See scalable.
See scaly.
See scholarly.
See scholastic.
See scientific.
See scornful.
See scriptural.
See sculptural.
See seaworthy.
See sectarian.
See secular.
See sedentary.
See selfish.
See sentient.
See sentimental.
See serviceable.
See severe.
See shamefaced.
See shamefast.
See shapely.
See shy.
See sick.
See sicker.
See sightly.
See simple.
See sinewy.
See sizable.
See sleek.
See slumberous.
See sly.
See smooth.
See smotherable.
See smutty.
See sober.
See sociable.
See social.
See solemn.
See soliciutous.
See solvable.
See speakable.
See speedy.
See spiritual.
See spontaneous.
See sportful.
See sportsmanlike.
See statutable.
See steadfast.
See steady.
See stormy.
See stout.
See strong.
See subduable.
See subject.
See submissive.
See subordinate.
See substantial.
See successive.
See succorable.
See suggestive.
See suitable.
See sunny.
See superfluous.
See supple.
See sure.
See surpassable.
See susceptible.
See suspect.
See suspectable.
See suspicious.
See sustainable.
See sweet.
See syllogistical.
See symbolic.
See sympathetic.
See systematic.
See tamable.
See tame.
See teachable.
See technical.
See tellable.
See tenable.
See tender.
See terrestrial.
See terrific.
See thankful.
See theological.
See thinkable.
See thirsty.
See thorny.
See thoughtful.
See tidy.
See tillable.
See toothsome.
See touchable.
See traceable.
See tractable.
See tragic.
See tranquil.
See transferable.
See translatable.
See transmutable.
See transparent.
See transpassable.
See traversable.
See tremulous.
See trimphant.
See trustworthy.
See trusty.
See tumultous.
See tunable.
See uniform.
See usable.
See useful.
See vanquishable.
See variant.
See venerable.
See venomous.
See veracious.
See verdant.
See veritable.
See vigilant.
See vigorous.
See virtuous.
See vital.
See vitrifiable.
See vocal.
See voidable.
See voluptuous.
See voyageable.
See vulgar.
See walkable.
See warlike.
See watchful.
See watery.
See wealthy.
See wearable.
See weary.
See welcome.
See wet.
See wholesome.
See wieldsome.
See willful.
See wily.
See witty.
See womanly.
See workable.
See workmanlike.
See worldly.
See worshipful.
See wrathful.
See writable.
See zealous.
------ and the like.
[ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. vocalis, fr. vox, vocis, voice: cf. F. vocal. See Voice, and cf. Vowel. ] 1. Of or pertaining to the voice or speech; having voice; endowed with utterance; full of voice, or voices. [ 1913 Webster ]

To hill or valley, fountain, or fresh shade,
Made vocal by my song. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Uttered or modulated by the voice; oral; as, vocal melody; vocal prayer. “Vocal worship.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Of or pertaining to a vowel or voice sound; also, spoken with tone, intonation, and resonance; sonant; sonorous; -- said of certain articulate sounds. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Phon.) (a) Consisting of, or characterized by, voice, or tone produced in the larynx, which may be modified, either by resonance, as in the case of the vowels, or by obstructive action, as in certain consonants, such as v, l, etc., or by both, as in the nasals m, n, ng; sonant; intonated; voiced. See Voice, and Vowel, also Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 199-202. (b) Of or pertaining to a vowel; having the character of a vowel; vowel. [ 1913 Webster ]

Vocal cords or
Vocal chords. n. pl. (Anat.) The two pairs of mucous membranes that project into the larynx, and which produce the sounds of speech by vibrating under the influence of air exhaled from the lungs. See Larynx, and the Note under Voice, n., 1. --
Vocal fremitus [ L. fremitus a dull roaring or murmuring ] (Med.), the perceptible vibration of the chest wall, produced by the transmission of the sonorous vibrations during the act of using the voice. --
Vocal music, music made by the voice, in distinction from instrumental music; hence, music or tunes set to words, to be performed by the human voice. --
Vocal tube (Anat.), the part of the air passages above the inferior ligaments of the larynx, including the passages through the nose and mouth. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. vocal, LL. vocalis. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Phon.) A vocal sound; specifically, a purely vocal element of speech, unmodified except by resonance; a vowel or a diphthong; a tonic element; a tonic; -- distinguished from a subvocal, and a nonvocal. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (R. C. Ch.) A man who has a right to vote in certain elections. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. vocalis (sc. littera) a vowel. See Vocal, a. ] Of or pertaining to vowel sounds; consisting of the vowel sounds. Earle. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Gaelic language being uncommonly vocalic. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The exercise of the vocal organs; vocalization. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A vocalic sound. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. vocaliste. ] A singer, or vocal musician, as opposed to an instrumentalist. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. L. vocalitas euphony. ] 1. The quality or state of being vocal; utterableness; resonance; as, the vocality of the letters. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The quality of being a vowel; vocalic character. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act of vocalizing, or the state of being vocalized. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The formation and utterance of vocal sounds. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Vocalized p. pr. & vb. n. Vocalizing ] [ Cf. F. vocaliser. ] 1. To form into voice; to make vocal or sonant; to give intonation or resonance to. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is one thing to give an impulse to breath alone, another thing to vocalize that breath. Holder. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To practice singing on the vowel sounds. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. In a vocal manner; with voice; orally; with audible sound. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. In words; verbally; as, to express desires vocally. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being vocal; vocality. [ 1913 Webster ]