Deny \De*ny"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Denied; p. pr. & vb. n.
Denying.]
[OE. denien, denaien, OF. denier, deneer, F.
d['e]nier, fr. L. denegare; de- + negare to say no, deny. See
Negation.]
1. To declare not to be true; to gainsay; to contradict; --
opposed to affirm, allow, or admit.
Note: We deny what another says, or we deny the truth of an
assertion, the force of it, or the assertion itself.
2. To refuse (to do something or to accept something); to
reject; to decline; to renounce. [Obs.]
``If you deny to
dance.'' --Shak.
3. To refuse to grant; to withhold; to refuse to gratify or
yield to; as, to deny a request.
Who finds not Providence all good and wise, Alike in
what it gives, and what denies? --Pope.
To some men, it is more agreeable to deny a vicious
inclination, than to gratify it. --J. Edwards.
4. To disclaim connection with, responsibility for, and the
like; to refuse to acknowledge; to disown; to abjure; to
disavow.
The falsehood of denying his opinion. --Bancroft.
Thou thrice denied, yet thrice beloved. --Keble.
To deny one's self, to decline the gratification of
appetites or desires; to practice self-denial.
Let him deny himself, and take up his cross. --Matt.
xvi. 24.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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