Definitions for: Renounce


[v] cast off or disown; "She renounced her husband"; "The parents repudiated their son"
[v] turn away from; give up; "I am foreswearing women forever"
[v] leave voluntarily; of a job, post or position; "She vacated the position when she got pregnant"; "The chairman resigned when he was found to have misappropriated funds"
[v] give up, such as power, as of monarchs and emperors, or duties and obligations; "The King abdicated when he married a divorcee"



Webster (1913) Definition: Re*nounce" (r[-e]*nouns"), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
Renounced (-nounst"); p. pr. & vb. n. Renouncing
(-noun"s?ng).] [F. renoncer, L. renuntiare to bring back
word, announce, revoke, retract, renounce; pref. re- re- +
nuntiare to announce, fr. nuncius, a messenger. See Nuncio,
and cf. Renunciation.]
1. To declare against; to reject or decline formally; to
refuse to own or acknowledge as belonging to one; to
disclaim; as, to renounce a title to land or to a throne.

2. To cast off or reject deliberately; to disown; to dismiss;
to forswear.

This world I do renounce, and in your sights Shake
patiently my great affliction off. --Shak.

3. (Card Playing) To disclaim having a card of (the suit led)
by playing a card of another suit.

To renounce probate (Law), to decline to act as the
executor of a will. --Mozley & W.

Syn: To cast off; disavow; disown; disclaim; deny; abjure;
recant; abandon; forsake; quit; forego; resign;
relinquish; give up; abdicate.

Usage: Renounce, Abjure, Recant. -- To renounce is to
make an affirmative declaration of abandonment. To
abjure is to renounce with, or as with, the solemnity
of an oath. To recant is to renounce or abjure some
proposition previously affirmed and maintained.

From Thebes my birth I own; . . . since no
disgrace Can force me to renounce the honor of
my race. --Dryden.

Either to die the death, or to abjure Forever
the society of man. --Shak.

Ease would recant Vows made in pain, as violent
and void. --Milton.


Re*nounce", v. i.
1. To make renunciation. [Obs.]

He of my sons who fails to make it good, By one
rebellious act renounces to my blood. --Dryden.

2. (Law) To decline formally, as an executor or a person
entitled to letters of administration, to take out probate
or letters.

Dryden died without a will, and his widow having
renounced, his son Charles administered on June 10.
--W. D.
Christie.


Re*nounce", n. (Card Playing)
Act of renouncing.

Synonyms: foreswear, give up, quit, relinquish, repudiate, resign, vacate

See Also: abandon, abdicate, abjure, apostatise, apostatize, deny, disclaim, forswear, give up, leave office, quit, rebut, recant, refute, reject, renounce, resile, retract, step down, swallow, take back, tergiversate, unsay, withdraw

Try our:
Scrabble Word Finder

Scrabble Cheat

Words With Friends Cheat

Hanging With Friends Cheat

Scramble With Friends Cheat

Ruzzle Cheat



Related Resources:
animals starting with u
animals starting with j