Middle English Dictionary Entry
dēnīen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | dēnīen v. Also denaien, denoien, disnoien. |
| Etymology | OF denïier, deneiier, denoiier, desnoier (from L dēnegāre). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To deny (a fact, truth, or belief); deny the validity of (a doctrine or conclusion); refuse to believe in (sth.); also, express a denial; (b) to deny (an accusation); express a denial.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Heb.11.24 : By feith Moyses..denyede him for to be [L negavit se esse] the sone of Pharaois douȝtir.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.13 : Þerfore I truste on þat charite þat Gregorie spekeþ of..þat vnkunnynge denyeþ [L denegat].
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)19200 : Soþfastenes is not to deny [vrr. at nite, to nite].
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.249 : Þis was certified..It myght not be denied for þing þat mot betide.
- (a1402) Trev.Dial.MC (Hrl 1900)11/4 : Denyest þou þat holy chirche schal knowe correctt men of synnes?
- a1425(?c1384) Wycl.Church (Bod 788)346 : Who mai denye þat ne þis noumbre of þes officeris is now to myche?
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Rom.10.6 : To denye crist for to haue ascendid.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.10.124 : Y ne may nat denye ne withstonde the resouns purposed; and I se wel that it folweth by strengthe of the premisses.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.2.39 : This is open and cler..ne it ne mai nat be denyed.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)69b/a : William de Saliceto..denyded [*Ch.(1): denyed] þat, for his euel vnderstonding of auicen.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)5644 : Þe childe..spird trestely, gif any wyst wha had his belt tane. Ilk man for him self denyed.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)44,45 : I denoy me not to haue seid þis..if I denoyed, I schuld be condempnid as gilty.
b
- a1325 *Rwl.Statutes [OD col.] (Rwl B.520)lf.56 : Ȝif þe Eir þis deniȝez þoru assise i nomen in maner of Juree, þe soþ sal ben clarified.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.18.15 : Sara denyede [L negavit], seiynge, 'I lowȝ not.'
- a1450(a1400) Athelston (Cai 175/96)765 : He denyyd faste þe Kyng þat he made neuere þat lesyng.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)52.295 : Kyng Marahans Of treson him Apechid..Anon kyng Orkaws that gan denaye.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)194 : 'Is it sothe þat þei saie þe, dame?'..'scho may it noȝt denye.'
2.
(a) To refuse or deny (a regret, a right, a privilege); refuse to admit the validity of (a document); -- often with indir. obj. or to phr.; (b) to withhold (sth.); fail to grant; -- often with indr. obj. or to phr.; (c) to refuse (to do sth.); refuse permission (to do sth.); (d) to refuse (sb.), turn down.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390 Susan.(Vrn)140 : Wolt þou, ladi..ben vr lemmone?..Ȝif þou þis neodes deny [etc.].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)71a/a : Auctorite of tecchinge..is I grauntid to man, and denyed..to womman as for custome & vsage.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3785 : Our right which is vs denyed.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3586 : I wole in no wise..Denye that ye have asked heer: It were to gret uncurtesie.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)125 : Ȝif pleynt be moved in the court..of..chartre of feffement, quyt cleyme, or other script..and the pleyntiff..may be receyved to denye the script, and he denye it in pleting [etc.].
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)99 : Not denying iustice to his enemy.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)195 : It were ageyn cheryte, Hys desyr lengere for to denye.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)8010 : All denyede it anon..Þat Achilles in chaunse shuld be chosen..With þat fuerse for to fight.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.1013 : He shal nat nayte ne denye his synne, ne wratthe hym agayn the preest for his amonestynge.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)1586 : Þe fende wende..þat god of miȝt walde deny ham heyuen briȝt.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)12.264 : A robber was y-raunsoned..Al-so marie Magdelene..no lyf denoyede [vr. denyede]?
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.54/23 : Mannys helpe was vttirly denayd hym.
- (1430-1) RParl.4.371a : The same rente is denied and unpaid, ayens the wille of the said Sir John.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)123 : With ynne the ferst xl dayes after that his parcener denyed hym his part.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)1657 : Cuthbert myght noȝt wele deny Þat charite.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)16 : Ihesu..deniith to no man þat ioy, if þey woll come þer to.
c
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1174 : Syr, ȝe may me not denye Of honeste, my massage to declare.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)136 : Non so proude, that dar me denye..To telle a tale.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.19.16 : And hym denyinge [L dissimulante eo], thei token the honde of hym [etc.].
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1489 : Which she nolde nought denye, But goodly gan to his preier obeye.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.44/13 : I denayid nat to ȝeue the helpe, but delayd hit.
- (1439) Doc.in Collect.Topogr.514 : Yf my brothir..refuse & denye to have this seid tenement..in exchaunge..for ye maner of Mekilfeld.
- (c1442) *Proc.Chanc.PRO ser.C 1 file 9no.238 : Your seide besecher has ofte tymes required the seide feofees to refeoffe hym, and they vttirly deny and will noght..refeoffe your seide besecher.
- (1465) Paston (Gairdner)4.175 : He prayd me to take more chafar of hym, whech I denyed.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)43 : If he haue ani þing bi syd þe Lord, þe Lord schal not be his part; as if he haue gold or..possessouns..þe Lord denaieþ, not to be his part.
- a1525(?1472) Cov.Leet Bk.384 : Yff eny persone denye to pay any taxe.
d
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)7098 : He denyet hym anon with a nait wille: His ledis for to leue hym list not as þen.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)44/149 : 'Ye two shal abide here still.' -- 'Sir, ye ow not to be denyed; We ar redy youre bydyng to fulfill.'
3.
(a) To refuse or fail to acknowledge (sb.); disown, renounce; (b) to disavow (a pledge); disapprove of (sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 12.9 : He that schal denye [L negaverit] me bifor men, schal be denyed bifore the aungelis of God.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)20871 : Denyinge he [Peter] fel, wepynge he ros.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)9/2 : Seynt Peter denyed oure lord thryes.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)7/30 : Þe deuelys..bodyn hir sche schuld forsake hir Crystendam hir feyth and denyin hir God.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)7310-39 : Whanne Arthewr this vndirstood, That his Fadyr denoyede [F desnoie] his blood, he wepte..Thanne preye j ȝow..That ȝe wolden not disnoyen me, but J as ȝowre sone euere forto be.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)237/135 : Þis ilke nyght or þe cokkys crowe, Shall þou thre tymes my name denye, And saye þou knewe me neuere.
- a1475(a1456) Shirley Death Jas.(Add 5467)27 : And ye contynue thus your tourmentes upon my wretched person..ye will constrayne me to denye my Creature.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)160/27 : The apostles..hadde leuer dye þen denye the name of Crist.
- a1500 ?Rolle De Passione (Tit C.19)45 : How Ihesus bihilde Petir denyande him.
b
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2057 : For thee so sore I wole now bynde, That thou away ne shalt not wynde For to denyen the covenaunt.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)72b/b : William graunteþ suche a sewynge &..it semed hym þat thederik schulde graunte it, þe whiche haþ denyed it vtterly.
4.
Med. (a) To disallow or forbid (a certain treatment), make inadvisable; (b) fail to exhibit (a symptom); (c) inhibit (urination).
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)154a/a : Maister Arnold..treted beste al significacionz þat graunteþ & denyeþ fleobotomye.
b
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)49/36 : In þe buȝt of þe arme þe skyne appered rounde..alwaiez denying tokne of rupture.
c
- ?a1450 Arderne LW (Em 69)115 : Whanne the uryne is utterly denied.
5.
To practice self-denial.
Associated quotations
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.16.24 : Ȝif eny man wole cume after me, denye he hym self [L abneget semet ipsum], and take his crosse and sue me.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)577 : Oure awn self we sal deny..Pine oure flesch with penance grete.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)107/10 : Sonne, þou maist not haue parfit liberte, but þou denye þiself utterly.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450(1438) GLeg.Alban (GiL79) (Eg 876) 379/99 : Ayeinst her furst oth he denyed to paie the tribute that was thanne yeven to the emperoures of Rome.
Note: Additional quote, sense 2.(c): 'to refuse (to do sth.)
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.38rb (2.3) : In pleuresi..is gret colleccioun of superfluites of vile corrupte materes..Whiche colleccioun, when þe kynde ne þe kynde hete be noȝt of myȝt for to defien it, ne for to deneyin it ne cachyn it awaie, it gadereth into materes contagiouse.
Note: Additional quot. New spelling: deneyin. Editor's gloss: 'to refuse, to deny'.