Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - deny

 transitive verb  (denied; ~ing)  Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French deneier, denier, from Latin denegare, from de- + negare to ~ — more at negate  Date: 14th century  1. to declare untrue ~ an allegation  2. to refuse to admit or acknowledge ; disavow ~ responsibility  3.  a. to give a negative answer to ~ing the petitioners  b. to refuse to grant ~ a request  c. to restrain (oneself) from gratification of desires  4. archaic decline  5. to refuse to accept the existence, truth, or validity of  • ~ingly adverb Synonyms:  ~, gainsay, contradict, contravene mean to refuse to accept as true or valid. ~ implies a firm refusal to accept as true, to grant or concede, or to acknowledge the existence or claims of denied the charges. gainsay implies disputing the truth of what another has said no one can gainsay her claims. contradict implies an open or flat denial her account contradicts his. contravene implies not so much an intentional opposition as some inherent incompatibility laws that contravene tradition.