evasive answer

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Noun

evasive answer - (law) an answer by a defendant that fails to admit or deny the allegations set forth in the complaint

answer - the principal pleading by the defendant in response to plaintiff's complaint; in criminal law it consists of the defendant's plea of `guilty' or `not guilty' (or nolo contendere); in civil law it must contain denials of all allegations in the plaintiff's complaint that the defendant hopes to controvert and it can contain affirmative defenses or counterclaims

law, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order"

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At first he returned an evasive answer, but on being pressed, he acknowledged, with great apparent reluctance, that Miss Halcombe was by no means so well as he had hitherto represented her to be.

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I returned an evasive answer, and left him the picture of ghastly despair.

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Pontellier, and he gave her evasive answers, framed so as to confirm her belief.

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"No evasive answers. Louise de la Valliere shall be maid of honor to Madame Henrietta within a week."

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Whenever someone used to ask me if I was Muslim, I often gave an evasive answer, something like, "I was born Muslim" or "My parents are Muslim."

Islamophobia is not a fringe problem

The form stipulates that a false or evasive answer to any question, or the omission of an answer, could be grounds for forfeiting the compensation benefits and could subject the individual to civil liability.

Florida Man Gets 5 Years' Probation for Workers' Comp Fraud

Having watched the initial furious backlash to his evasive answer to whether his church considered abortion a sin, I waited a day to see what I assumed would be a further comment.

Megachurch pastor expands on his previous answer whether abortion is a sin

Begin gave him an evasive answer, claiming that Israel was not helping South Africa develop nuclear weapons.

Declassified U.S. Documents: Israel and South Africa Conducted Nuclear Test in 1979

She replied she hadn't decided and was busy "governing" - as safe and as evasive answer as a politician can give.

'Decision' lacks suspense

It's the journalistic frustration borne of putting a plain, straightforward question and getting an evasive answer that fails to touch on any of the original points raised.

With stories, the devil is in the detail

Asked about the war of words which developed between himself and Garcia over the final two days at Sawgrass, Woods gave a typically short, evasive answer in his official press conference.

Tiger keeps his focus on next major; GOLF PHIL CASEY

It was a weak and evasive answer reminiscent of Ann Romney awkwardly squealing "I love women" during the Republican National Convention (the campaign's big appeal to female voters during the RNC).