Pl. ambages. [a. 14th c. Fr. ambages, a. L. ambāges circuits, circumlocutions, f. amb- about + ag-ĕre to drive. Thoroughly naturalized in 16th c. as a·mbages, with sing. a·mbage (as in Fr.) in sense I, but owing to the coincidence of the spelling with the original L., there has been a growing tendency to look upon it as merely L., and to use it accordingly, thus restricting the sense and altering the pronunciation.]
I. Of language (from Fr.; pron. a·mbages; with sing.) Roundabout or indirect modes of speech.
1. For deceit: Equivocation, quibbles, ambiguities. Obs. or arch.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, V. 897. If Calkas lede us with ambages, That is to seyn, with dowble wordes slye.
1553–87. Foxe, A. & M. (1596), 666/1. Without ambages and sophistication of wordes.
1669. Gale, Crt. Gentiles, I. III. x. 108. An Ambages of words is very deceitful.
a. 1733. North, Exam., I. ii. ¶ 26. 43. Factious polemic Tricks, Ambages, and treacherous Counsels.
1857. Sir F. Palgrave, Norm. & Eng., II. 415. He commenced by a few politic ambages, or—to speak more plainly—lies.
† 2. For concealment: Dark or obscure language, ambiguity. Obs.
1520. Whitinton, Vulgaria (1527), 2. Tendre wyttes with suche derke ambage be made dull.
1664. H. More, Myst. Iniq., 211. That Prophecies are delivered in obscure Ambages.
1713. Berkeley, Hylas & Phil., iii. To use some ambages, and ways of speech not common.
† 3. For delay: Circumlocutions, beating about the bush. Obs. exc. as a case of II. 6.
1567. Drant, Horace Ep., vii. D vj. For to make the ambage shorte, And not to draw it on.
1568. C. Watson, Polybius, To Reader. With any tedious ambage or painted preamble.
1607. Dekker, Wh. Babylon, 240. Vmh: ya’re ful of Ambage: I answere as my spirits leade me, thus.
1678. Mrs. Behn, Sir P. Fancy, V. i. 303. Without more ambages, Sir, I have considered your former desires, and have consented to marry him.
† 4. Rhet. (in sing.) Periphrasis. Obs.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie (1869), 203. Periphrasis, or the Figure of ambage. Ibid., 24. Tedious ambage and long periods.
II. Of paths, ways. [A later adoption from L., and in recent times as a L. word ambā·ges.]
5. Circuits, windings, circuitous paths. arch.
1615. Sandys, Trav., 99. [The river] running from South to North (besides in ambages) aboue one and forty degrees.
1677. Grew, Anat. Plants, IV. III. vii. § 2 (1682), 191. The Elongation of the seed-vessels, sometimes directly, as in Plums and Nuts, and sometimes by several Ambages before they shoot into the Seeds, as in Tulip.
1796. Pegge, Anonym. (1809), 373. You will find it, through the windings and ambages, eight, or perhaps nine miles.
1823. Lamb, Elia, Ser. II. xxiv. (1865), 409. After hunting and winding through all the possible ambages of similar sounds.
6. fig. Circuitous, indirect, or roundabout ways or proceedings; delaying practices.
1546. Langley, Polyd. Verg., IV. iv. 87 b. When a Byshop was consecrated ther was used no other rytes or ambages.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. 33. He … shall, by Ambages of diets, bathings, annointings, Medecines, motions, and the like, prolong life.
1657. Austen, Fruit Trees, I. 38. Meat and drink work upon the spirits by ambages and length of time.
1726. Ayliffe, Parergon, 65. The Ambages of Law Suits.
† 7. Dark, secret, or mysterious ways of action. Obs. (Cf. Livy I. 56.)
a. 1626. Bacon, Theol. Wks. (1838), I. 337. The ways and ambages of God.
1704. Swift, T. Tub, Wks. 1768, 141. The other cost me so many strains and traps and ambages to introduce.
a. 1797. H. Walpole, George II. (1847), II. iv. He would not enter into all the ambages of the Corps Diplomatique.
