vagueness

Definition of vagueness in English English dictionary: The condition of being unclear; vague; Something which is vague, or an instance or example of vagueness
If a man's deep and conscientious regard for the truth be such that he cannot, consistently with the requisitions of his moral nature, repeat to others mere vaguenesses and uncertainties, he will naturally give such strict and serious attention to the present objects of inquiry and knowledge, that they will remain in his memory afterward with remarkable distinctness and permanency.; The quality of being vague See the fallacy of Vagueness; Condition of being unclear; vague; {i} unclarity; ambiguity; The characteristic of words or phrases whose meaning is not determined with precision Use of one or more vague terms typically renders it impossible to establish the truth or falsity of the sentences in which they appear Example: "The temperature is warm today " is difficult to evaluate because there is no clear borderline between "warm" and "not warm" Note the difference between vagueness and ambiguity Recommended Reading: Timothy Williamson, Vagueness (Routledge, 1996) {at Amazon com}; Vagueness: A Reader, ed by Rosanna Keefe and Peter Smith (MIT, 1999) {at Amazon com}; Roy Sorensen, Vagueness and Contradiction (Oxford, 2001) {at Amazon com}; Linda Claire Burns, Vagueness: An Investigation into Natural Languages and the Sorites Paradox (Kluwer, 1991) {at Amazon com}; and Rosanna Keefe, Theories of Vagueness (Cambridge, 2001) {at Amazon com} Also see OCP, SEP, noesis, FF, Adam Morton, and Loretta Torrago; unclearness by virtue of being vague; An undesired feature of explanations; The quality or state of being vague; - An expression in a given context is vague (or is used vaguely) if it leaves open too wide a range of borderline cases for the successful and legitimate use of that expression in the context; Ambiguity Clichés
vague: not having a precise meaning
a vague term of abuse.
vague: not sharply outlined; hazy
vague: not thinking or expressing one’s thoughts clearly or precisely
vague: not clearly defined, grasped, or understood; indistinct; slight
I haven’t the vaguest idea.
vague: indistinct
vague: {a} wandering, unsettled, indefinit
vague: Of a term which has borderline cases to which it is unclear whether it applies
vague: A wandering; a vagary
vague: If you have a vague memory or idea of something, the memory or idea is not clear. They have only a vague idea of the amount of water available Waite's memory of that first meeting was vague. = faint + vaguely vague·ly Judith could vaguely remember her mother lying on the sofa
vague: If something written or spoken is vague, it does not explain or express things clearly. The description was pretty vague. vague information. precise + vaguely vague·ly `I'm not sure,' Liz said vaguely They issued a vaguely worded statement. + vagueness vague·ness the vagueness of the language in the text
vague: not clearly felt or sensed; somewhat subconscious
vague: not precisely limited, determined, or distinguished; "an undefined term"; "undefined authority"; "some undefined sense of excitement"; "vague feelings of sadness"; "a vague uneasiness"
vague: Unsettled; unfixed; undetermined; indefinite; ambiguous; as, a vague idea; a vague proposition
vague: A vague shape or outline is not clear and is therefore not easy to see. The bus was a vague shape in the distance
vague: To wander; to roam; to stray
vague: If you describe someone as vague, you mean that they do not seem to be thinking clearly. She had married a charming but rather vague Englishman His eyes were always so vague when he looked at her
vague: An indefinite expanse
vague: not clearly expressed; stated in indefinite terms
vague: lacking expression; vacant
vague: Proceeding from no known authority; unauthenticated; uncertain; flying; as, a vague report
vague: If something such as a feeling is vague, you experience it only slightly. He was conscious of that vague feeling of irritation again
vague: lacking clarity or distinctness; "a dim figure in the distance"; "only a faint recollection"; "shadowy figures in the gloom"; "saw a vague outline of a building through the fog"; "a few wispy memories of childhood"
vague: (adjective) not clear; hazy
vague: not thinking or expressing one's thoughts clearly or precisely
vague: (vague) Pronunciation: 'vAg Function: adjective Inflected Form(s): vagu·er; vagu·est : not clearly expressed <a vague answer>
vague: Wandering; vagrant; vagabond
vague: not clearly understood or expressed; "an obscure turn of phrase"; "an impulse to go off and fight certain obscure battles of his own spirit"-Anatole Broyard; "their descriptions of human behavior become vague, dull, and unclear"- P A Sorokin; "vague forms of speech have so long passed for mysteries of science"- John Locke
vague: Not clearly, precisely, or definitely expressed or stated; not sharp, certain, or precise in thought, feeling, or expression Vagueness of thought and expression is a major obstacle to the development of critical thinking We cannot begin to test our beliefs until we recognize clearly what they are We cannot disagree with what someone says until we are clear about what they mean Students need much practice in transforming vague thoughts into clear ones
vague: If you are vague about something, you deliberately do not tell people much about it. He was vague, however, about just what U.S. forces might actually do Democratic leaders under election pressure tend to respond with vague promises of action
vague: {s} hazy, faint, indistinct; ambiguous; uncertain

vagueness

Hyphenation

vague·ness

Turkish pronunciation

veygnîs

Pronunciation

/ˈvāgnəs/ /ˈveɪɡnɪs/

Etymology

[ 'vAg ] (adjective.) 1548. Middle French, from Latin vagus, literally, wandering.

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vagueness

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Definition of vagueness in English English dictionary

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