denial

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A refusal to comply with or satisfy a request.
2. n. A refusal to grant the truth of a statement or allegation; a contradiction.
3. n. Law The opposing by a defendant of an allegation of the plaintiff.
4. n. A refusal to accept or believe something, such as a doctrine or belief.
5. n. Psychology An unconscious defense mechanism characterized by refusal to acknowledge painful realities, thoughts, or feelings.
6. n. The act of disowning or disavowing; repudiation.
7. n. Abstinence; self-denial.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The act of denying or contradicting; the assertion of the contrary of some proposition or affirmation; negation; contradiction.
2. n. Refusal to grant; the negation or refusal of a request or a petition; non-compliance.
3. n. Refusal to accept or acknowledge; a disowning; rejection: as, a denial of God; a denial of the faith or the truth.
4. n. In law, a traverse in the pleading of one party of the statement set up by the other; a defense. Synonyms Disavowal, disclaimer.

Wiktionary

1. n. The negation in logic
2. n. A refusal to comply with a request.
3. n. An assertion of untruth
4. n. Refusal to believe a problem exists
5. n. formerly, psychology A defense mechanism involving a refusal to accept the truth of a phenomenon or prospect.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The act of gainsaying, refusing, or disowning; negation; -- the contrary of affirmation.
2. n. A refusal to admit the truth of a statement, charge, imputation, etc.; assertion of the untruth of a thing stated or maintained; a contradiction.
3. n. A refusal to grant; rejection of a request.
4. n. A refusal to acknowledge; disclaimer of connection with; disavowal; -- the contrary of confession

WordNet 3.0

1. n. the act of refusing to comply (as with a request)
2. n. renunciation of your own interests in favor of the interests of others
3. n. (psychiatry) a defense mechanism that denies painful thoughts
4. n. a defendant's answer or plea denying the truth of the charges against him
5. n. the act of asserting that something alleged is not true