Renounce definitions and example sentences on Wordnik

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Definitions (17)

American Heritage Dictionary (4)

transitive verb To give up (a title, for example), especially by formal announcement. See Synonyms at relinquish.
transitive verb To reject; disown.
intransitive verb Games To revoke in cards.

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Century Dictionary (6)

To declare against; disown; disclaim; abjure; forswear; refuse to own, acknowledge, or practise. My ryght I renonse to that rynk sone. Destruction of Troy (E. E. T. S.), l. 13629. Minister. Dost thou renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world, … and the sinful desires of the flesh …? Answer. I renounce them all; and, by God's help, will endeavour not to follow nor be led by them. Book of Common Prayer, Baptism of those of Riper Years. It is impossible to conceive that a whole nation of men should all publicly reject and renounce what every one of them, certainly and infallibly, knew to be a law. Locke., Human Understanding, I. iii. § 11.
To cast off or reject, as a connection or possession; forsake. She that had renounc'd Her sex's honour was renounc'd herself By all that priz'd it. Cowper, Task, iii. 76. The conditions of earthly existence were renounced, rather than sanctified, in the religions ideal [of the medieval church]. Gladstone, Might of Right, p. 208. He only lives with the world's life Who hath renounced his own, M. Arnold, Stanzas in memory of the Author of Obermann.
In card-playing, to play (a suit) different from what is led: as, he renounced spades. Synonyms Renounce, Recant, Abjure, Forswear, Retract, Revoke, Recall, abandon, forsake, quit, forego, resign, relinquish, give up, abdicate, decline, cast off, lay down. Renounce, to declare strongly, with more or less of formality, that we give up some opinion, profession, or pursuit forever. Thus, a pretender to a throne may renounce his claim. Recant, to make publicly known that we give up a principle or belief formerly maintained, from conviction of its erroneousness: the word therefore implies the adoption of the opposite belief. Abjure, forswear. literally to renounce upon oath, and, metaphorically, with protestations and utterly. They do not necessarily imply any change of opinion. Retract, to take back what has been once given or made, as a pledge, an accusation. Revoke, to take back that which has been pronounced by an act of authority, as a decree, a command, a grant. Recall, the most general word for literal or figurative calling back: as, to recall an expression. Forswear is somewhat out of use. A man may renounce his birthright, forswear a habit, recant his professions, abjure his faith, retract his assertions, revoke his pledges, recall his promises.

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Examples (50)

Mormonism is the sort of religion that children would renounce, and converts, when their heat had cooled, abandon. — The Mormon Menace The Confessions of John Doyle Lee, Danite
But, by God's grace, such heroism would be crowned by resignation, would be rewarded by that sweet and holy calm which follows upon every high moral impulse, every victory of the soul over the dread of suffering I shall renounce--my daughter shall keep possession of my whole life, of my whole soul. — The Child of Pleasure
Then will I that day renounce my name and my country. — Aurelian or, Rome in the Third Century
And beside these, there will now be those, as in former persecutions, who, as the day of evil approaches, will, through the operation simply of their fears, renounce their name and faith. — Aurelian or, Rome in the Third Century
He was finding how sweet it is to renounce, hand in hand with one we love. — The Path Of Duty

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Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (3)

American Heritage Dictionary (1)

Middle English renouncen, from Old French renoncer, from Latin renūntiāre, to report : re-, re- + nūntiāre, to announce (from nūntius, messenger; see neu- in Indo-European roots).

Century Dictionary (2)

from Middle English renouncen, renonsen, from Old French renonchier, renuncer, renoncer, French renoncer =Provencal Spanish Portuguese renunciar =Italian rinunziare, renunziare, renounce, from L, renuntiare, renunciare, bring back a report, also disclaim, renounce, from re-, back, + nuntiare, nunciare, bring a message, from nuntius, a messenger: see nuncio. Cf. announce, denounce, enounce, pronounce.
from French renonce =Spanish Portuguese renuncia =Italian rinunzia, a renounce; from the verb: see renounce, v.

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