de ‧ ny S3 W2 AC /dɪˈnaɪ/ BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle denied , present participle denying , third person singular denies ) [transitive]
[ Word Family: verb : ↑ deny ; noun : ↑ denial ; adverb : ↑ undeniably ; adjective : ↑ undeniable ]
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: denier , from Latin negare 'to deny' ]
1 . SAY SOMETHING IS NOT TRUE to say that something is not true, or that you do not believe something ⇨ denial
deny (that)
I’ve never denied that there is a housing problem.
I can’t deny her remarks hurt me.
deny doing something
Two men have denied murdering a woman at a remote picnic spot.
strongly/vehemently/strenuously etc deny something
Jackson vehemently denied the allegations.
The government denied the existence of poverty among 16- and 17-year-olds.
deny a charge/allegation/claim
The men have denied charges of theft.
2 . NOT ALLOW to refuse to allow someone to have or do something:
landowners who deny access to the countryside
deny somebody something
She could deny her son nothing.
deny something to somebody
This is the only country in Europe to deny cancer screening to its citizens.
3 . there’s no denying (that/something) spoken used to say that it is very clear that something is true:
There’s no denying that this is an important event.
4 . FEELINGS to refuse to admit that you are feeling something:
Emotions can become destructive if they are suppressed and denied.
5 . deny yourself (something) to decide not to have something that you would like, especially for moral or religious reasons:
He denied himself all pleasures and luxuries.
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COLLOCATIONS
■ deny + NOUN
▪ deny a charge/allegation
Officials denied allegations that torture was widespread.
▪ deny any involvement in something
The chairman denied any involvement in the affair.
▪ deny all knowledge of something
CIA officers denied all knowledge of the operation.
▪ deny a fact
You can’t deny the fact that we made a mistake.
▪ deny a rumour
Their chief executive denied rumours of the company’s decline.
▪ deny a claim
Claims that money had been wasted were denied by the chairman of the committee.
▪ deny the existence of something
The government has denied the existence of any political prisoners in the country.
▪ deny any wrongdoing formal (=illegal or immoral behaviour)
The White House denied any wrongdoing.
■ adverbs
▪ strongly/firmly deny something
Reports of government corruption have been strongly denied.
▪ vehemently/vigorously/strenuously deny something (=very strongly)
He vehemently denied that he had ever been to her house.
▪ flatly/categorically deny something (=very definitely and directly)
In the interview, he flatly denied that charge.
▪ hotly deny something (=in an angry or excited way)
She hotly denied ever having taken drugs.
▪ repeatedly deny something
King has repeatedly denied being a gang member.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ refuse to say firmly that you will not do something that someone has asked you to do:
I asked the bank for a loan, but they refused.
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When they refused to leave, we had to call the police.
▪ say no spoken to say that you will not do something when someone asks you:
They asked me so nicely that I couldn’t really say no.
▪ turn somebody/something down to refuse to accept an offer or invitation, or a formal request:
They offered me the job but I turned it down.
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The board turned down a request for $25,000 to sponsor an art exhibition.
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I’ve already been turned down by three colleges.
▪ reject to refuse to accept an idea, offer, suggestion, or plan:
They rejected the idea because it would cost too much money.
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The Senate rejected a proposal to limit the program to two years.
▪ decline formal to politely refuse to accept an offer or invitation, or refuse to do something:
She has declined all offers of help.
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A palace spokesman declined to comment on the rumours.
▪ deny to refuse to allow someone to do something or enter somewhere:
They were denied permission to publish the book.
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He was denied access to the US.
▪ veto to officially refuse to allow a law or plan, or to refuse to accept someone’s suggestion:
Congress vetoed the bill.
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The suggestion was quickly vetoed by the other members of the team.
▪ disallow to officially refuse to accept something because someone has broken the rules, or not done it in the correct way:
The goal was disallowed by the referee.
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The court decided to disallow his evidence.
▪ rebuff formal to refuse to accept someone’s offer, request, or suggestion:
The company raised its offer to $6 billion, but was rebuffed.
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He was politely rebuffed when he suggested holding the show in Dublin.
▪ give somebody/something the thumbs down informal to refuse to allow or accept a plan or suggestion:
The plan was given the thumbs down by the local authority.
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They gave us the thumbs down.