Webster's English Dictionary

Enter the word to look up:

deny

de.ny \di-'ni-\ \-in-le-\ vt [ME denyen, fr. OF denier, fr. L denegare, fr. 
   de- + Xnegare to deny 1: to declare untrue  2: to disclaim connection with 
   or responsibility for : DISAVOW  3a: to give a negative answer to  3b: to 
   refuse to grant  3c: to restrain (oneself) from gratification of desires  
   archaic  4: DECLINE  5: to refuse to accept the existence, truth, or 
   validity of NTRAVENE: DENY implies a refusal to accept a statement as true 
   or valid; GAINSAY implies opposition by disputing the truth of something 
   said; CONTRADICT implies an open or flat denial and suggests that the 
   contrary is true; NEGATIVE implies as little as possible beyond a mere 
   refusal to assent or approve; IMPUGN stresses an attack upon the truth of a 
   statement or upon the integrity of the person making it; CONTRAVENE 
   stresses a conflict or logical incompatibility between something said or 
   prescribed and a present act or state of affairs - de.ny.ing.ly av SYN syn 
   GAINSAY, CONTRADICT, NEGATIVE, IMPUGN, CO