The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

evasion \e*va"sion\ ([-e]*v[=a]"zh[u^]n), n. [L. evasio: cf. F.
   ['e]vasion. See Evade.]
   The act of eluding or avoiding, particularly the pressure of
   an argument, accusation, charge, or interrogation; artful
   means of eluding.
   [1913 Webster]

         Thou . . . by evasions thy crime uncoverest more.
                                                  --Milton.

   Syn: Shift; subterfuge; shuffling; prevarication;
        equivocation.
        [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

evasion
    n 1: a statement that is not literally false but that cleverly
         avoids an unpleasant truth [syn: evasion, equivocation]
    2: the deliberate act of failing to pay money; "his evasion of
       all his creditors"; "he was indicted for nonpayment" [syn:
       evasion, nonpayment] [ant: defrayal, defrayment,
       payment]
    3: nonperformance of something distasteful (as by deceit or
       trickery) that you are supposed to do; "his evasion of his
       clear duty was reprehensible"; "that escape from the
       consequences is possible but unattractive" [syn: evasion,
       escape, dodging]
    4: the act of physically escaping from something (an opponent or
       a pursuer or an unpleasant situation) by some adroit maneuver