recant

English

Etymology

First attested in 1535, from Latin recantare, present active infinitive of recanto (“to sing back, reecho, sing again, repeat in singing, recant, recall, revoke, charm back or away”), from re- (“back”) + canto (“to chant, to sing”), frequentative of cano.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /rəˈkænt/
• Rhymes: -ænt

Verb

recant (third-person singular simple present recants, present participle recanting, simple past and past participle recanted)

1. To withdraw from or repudiate a statement or opinion formerly expressed, especially formally and publicly.

   Convince me that I am wrong, and I will recant.

Synonyms

• disavow
• retract
• take back
• unsay

Translations

to withdraw or repudiate formally and publicly

Czech: odvolat (cs) Dutch: intrekken (nl), terugtrekken (nl) Finnish: vetää takaisin (fi), peruuttaa (fi)

French: retirer (fr) Icelandic: taka aftur (is), draga til baka (is) Russian: отрекаться (ru)

See also

• contradict
• recall
• revoke

Related terms

• recantation
• recanter

External links

• recant in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• recant in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• recant at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• canter, carnet, centra, Cretan, nectar, trance