duplicity (?), n.; pl. duplicities (#). [F. duplicité, L. duplicitas, fr. duplex double. See Duplex.] 1. Doubleness; a twofold state. [Archaic]
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Do not affect duplicities nor triplicities, nor any certain number of parts in your division of things. I. Watts.
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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.
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Far from the duplicity wickedly charged on him, he acted his part with alacrity and resolution. Burke.
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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.
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