dis ‧ o ‧ bey /ˌdɪsəˈbeɪ, ˌdɪsəʊ- $ ˌdɪsə-, ˌdɪsoʊ-/ BrE AmE verb [intransitive and transitive]
[ Word Family: verb : ↑ obey ≠ ↑ disobey ; noun : ↑ obedience ≠ ↑ disobedience ; adverb : ↑ obediently ≠ DISOBEDIENTLY ; adjective : ↑ obedient ≠ ↑ disobedient ]
to refuse to do what someone with authority tells you to do, or refuse to obey a rule or law OPP obey :
You disobeyed my orders.
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THESAURUS
▪ disobey to not obey a person, order, rule, or law:
In the army, it is a crime to disobey a superior officer.
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He had disobeyed the school rules.
▪ break a law/rule to not obey a law or rule:
Anyone who breaks the law must expect to be punished.
▪ defy formal to deliberately refuse to obey a rule or law, or what someone in authority tells you to do:
The police arrested the youth for defying a court order.
▪ flout /flaʊt/ formal to deliberately disobey a rule or law in a very public way:
Timber companies are continuing to flout environmental laws.
▪ violate formal to disobey a law, or do something that is against an agreement or principle:
Both countries have accused each other of violating the treaty.
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Technically he had violated the law.
▪ contravene formal to be against a law, rule, or agreement, or to do something that is against a law, rule, or agreement:
The British government’s actions contravened the European Convention on Human Rights.