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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Deny, v. Also: denye, denny, diny. [ME. deny(e, denie (c 1300), OF. denier, L. dēnegāre.]

1. tr. To disown or disclaim (a person or thing). a1400 Leg. S. i. 60.
Thane wald he think quhow lethirly That he is master cuth deny c1450 Cr. Deyng 98.
He gaif … grace … to Petyr at denyd hyme 1533 Gau 61/14.
The portis of hel preualit aganis Peter quhen he fel and deniit Christ 1558-66 Knox II. 385.
Yf the King then lyving was King, … that Parliament can nott be denyed a1585 Maitl. Q. xliii. 72.
Quhen thay perhap sic deming sall deny a1605 Montg. Flyt. 256.
Half ane elph, half an aip, of nature denyit

2. To refuse to do something. a1400 Leg. S. xxiii. 70.
Seand the paynis … Thay tholyt that wald deny Til ydolis to sacryfy a1500 Prestis of Peblis 61.
Me to begyn ane tale sen ȝe conclude, And I deny, than had I sair offendit 1513 Doug. vii. vii. 39.
The kyng Latyn the spousage of Lavyne … Denyis forto grant thé 1533 Bell. Livy I. 270/16.
The consull denyit to do ony thyng concernyng the said law a1568 Scott xxxvi. 67.
I sowld thame gif, bot thow dennyis Sic to ressaif in gre

3. a. To refuse permission; to forbid. a1400 Leg. S. xxxix. 50.
Thane of hir gud scho bad in hy; Bot it to tak thai hir deny

b. To refuse to give, grant, or allow. c1420 Wynt. v. 2607.
For honoure suld noucht be denyid Tyll hym that grace has justyfyid 1456 Hay I. 185/20.
Free passage but scathe to the contree suld nocht be denyit c1460 Wisd. Sol. 421.
I … denyit neuer nothir myne eyne, myn ere, na my appetyt thinge that thai desyrit c1500 Fyve Bestes 330.
Quhat evir ȝe ask, that thing I will deny c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxix. 4.
Nature all curage me denyis Off sangis, ballattis, and of playis 1513 Doug. iii. ii. 153.
The seik grond denyis hys fruyt and fudis 1531 Bell. Boece I. 247.
Maximus … schew him sa benivolus to the pepil, that na man was denyit his presence a 1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlviii. 13.
I wil not denny it till nane that will by it 1596 Dalr. I. 77/24.
Metellius … denyet nocht, bot gladlie granted. thair askeng

4. To declare to be untrue or unfounded; to refuse to admit; to gainsay.Const. with simple object, with that (also na) or infin., or used absolutely.(1) c1420 Wynt. viii. 322.
I … grantis, he sayd, the antecedens, Bot I deny the consequens 1456 Hay I. 262/23.
And he deny it [sc. the debt], the tothir sal be herd Ib. II. 30/37.
Office of traytour is to deny his tresoun and hyde it c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 55/15.
Thai that denyes thir vertuis in God ar fulis and denyis his Godhed 1510 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II. 390.
The quhilk wrang the said Alane denyit 1530 Lennox Mun. 237.
Quhilk slachter the said Sir James deniit c1550 Rolland C. Venus iii. 164.
Of this dittay grant ȝe ocht or denyis? 1580 Cath. Tr. 51/8.
Ye … denyes bayth place and tyme of cleanging [of sins] a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 532.
Reveilling thair deilling Quhilk dowe not be denyit 1617 Urie Baron Ct. 24.
Abrahame … denyit the haill alledgeins proponit be the Laird(2) 1456 Hay I. 10/17.
Thus may na gude hert deny … na the haly has bene in grete persecucioun 1459 Peebles B. Rec. 134.
Adam anssard and deniit that he aws hym ony syluer 1479 Acta Conc. 25/1.
Adam denyis that he was bundin to arbitry 1496 Acta Conc. II. 21.
It was denyit be the saide Nicholl that he was awand the sade sowme 1513 Doug. iii. iii. 102.
Deny and als that the nycht from the day He mycht discern 1562-3 Winȝet I. 116/23.
Denyand … the Father, the Sone, and the Haly Gaist to be callit … thre persones Ib. 117/11.
Denying that bairnis … suld be baptizit(3) 1501 Dunferm. B. Rec. 118.
The said Petir alluterly denyit 1535 Stewart 48982.
With mony aith the Cuming did deny a1540 Freiris Berw. 383.
Scho saw it wes no bute for to deny 1624 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 4.
The pannell denyet not