deny

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To say that something is not true.

   He denied that he had taken the money.

2. 2
   verb

   To refuse to give someone something they want or need.

   The school denied her the chance to take the exam early.

3. 3
   verb

   To refuse to admit that you know or are connected to someone.

   Peter denied that he even knew the man.

From Middle English denyen, from Old French denoier (“to deny, to repudiate”) (French dénier), from Latin denegare (“to deny, to refuse”), from de- (“away”) and negare (“to refuse”), the latter ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *né (“no, not”). Doublet of denegate.

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