deny English · revision 5858

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1300|origins=la denego}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /dɪˈnaɪ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English denyen, [[bor|fro|denier]], earlier deneier, denoier “to deny, repudiate, withhold”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) from [[la|dēnegāre|t=to deny, reject, refuse]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from dē- “away” or “formally” and [[m|la|negāre|t=to refuse, say no]],^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998) from Old Latin nec “not”, from the PIE root [[ine-pro|*ne-|t=not]].^(Etymonline) Compare [[negate]] and [[negative]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To declare a statement untrue: about 1300 in the OED; before 1325 in Barnhart and the early 14th century in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the late 14th century it also meant to refuse to grant or give, and to refuse to acknowledge, disown;^(Etymonline) the OED has disowning a person or thing from about 1340.^(OED 1989) In logic, to assert the contradictory of a proposition, the opposite of affirm, is from about 1425.^(OED 1989) To reject a doctrine as untrue is from 1630 and to refuse to admit the existence of something from 1621.^(OED 1989) To refuse access to is from the 1660s.^(Etymonline) ''Denial'' (1528) replaced the earlier denyance (1468).^(Barnhart 1988) In Scots and northern dialect, deny meant also to refuse an offer.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1300 – to declare untrue.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1340 – to disown.^(OED 1989)

+ * late 14th century – to refuse to give.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1425 – in logic.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1528 – ''denial''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1660s – to refuse access to.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To declare that something is not [[true]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To refuse to believe or accept; to [[reject]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To refuse to acknowledge someone or something; to [[disown]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To refuse to give or allow something: ''denied entry''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(deny oneself)'' To do without things one would like.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[denyingly]]

+ * [[deniable]]

+ * [[redeny]]

+ * [[undeniable]]

+ * [[undenied]]

+ * [[deniability]]

+ * [[denier]]

+ * [[self-denying]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[denial]]

+ * [[negate]]

+ * [[negation]]

+ * [[negative]]

+ * [[renegade]]

+ * [[renege]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The AHD groups deny with contradict, contravene, disaffirm, gainsay, negate, negative and traverse, all meaning to refuse to admit that something exists or is true or valuable.^(AHD)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}