refute

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Verb 1.3.1 Usage notes 1.3.2 Synonyms 1.3.3 Antonyms 1.3.4 Related terms 1.3.5 Translations 2 Spanish 2.1 Verb

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From Latin refūtō

[edit] Pronunciation

• (RP, US): enPR: rə-fyo͞ot, IPA: /rɪˈfjuːt/, /rəˈfjut/, SAMPA: /rI"fju:t/, /r@"fjut/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}
• Rhymes: -uːt

[edit] Verb

to refute (third-person singular simple present refutes, present participle refuting, simple past and past participle refuted)

1. (transitive) To prove (something) to be false or incorrect.
   • 1791, James Boswell, The life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D.:

     After we came out of the church, we stood talking for some time together of Bishop Berkeley's ingenious sophistry to prove the non-existence of matter, and that every thing in the universe is merely ideal. I observed, that though we are satisfied his doctrine is not true, it is impossible to refute it.

2. (transitive) To deny the truth or correctness of (something).
   • 1791, James Boswell, The life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D.:

     I never shall forget the alacrity with which Johnson answered, striking his foot with mighty force against a large stone, till he rebounded from it, "I refute it thus."

[edit] Usage notes

The second meaning of refute (to deny the truth of) is proscribed as erroneous by some (cf Merriam Webster,1994). An alternative term with such a meaning is repudiate, which means to reject or refuse to acknowledge, but without the implication of justification. However, this distinction does not exist in the original Latin refūtō (“‘oppose, resist, rebut’”), which can apply to both senses.

[edit] Synonyms

• (prove (something) to be false): disprove
• (deny the truth or correctness): deny, reject, repudiate

[edit] Antonyms

• (prove (something) to be false): demonstrate, prove
• (deny the truth or correctness): accept, embrace

[edit] Related terms

[edit] Translations

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[edit] Spanish

[edit] Verb

refute (infinitive refutar)

1. formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of refutar.
2. first-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of refutar.
3. formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of refutar.
4. third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted^?) present subjunctive form of refutar.