\De*ny"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Denied}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Denying}.] [OE. denien, denaien, OF. denier, deneer, F.
d['e]nier, fr. L. denegare; de- + negare to say no, deny. See
{Negation}.]
1. To declare not to be true; to gainsay; to contradict; --
   opposed to affirm, allow, or admit.
Note: We deny what another says, or we deny the truth of an
      assertion, the force of it, or the assertion itself.
2. To refuse (to do something or to accept something); to
   reject; to decline; to renounce. [Obs.] ``If you deny to
   dance.'' --Shak.
3. To refuse to grant; to withhold; to refuse to gratify or
   yield to; as, to deny a request.
         Who finds not Providence all good and wise, Alike in
         what it gives, and what denies?       --Pope.
         To some men, it is more agreeable to deny a vicious
         inclination, than to gratify it.      --J. Edwards.
4. To disclaim connection with, responsibility for, and the
   like; to refuse to acknowledge; to disown; to abjure; to
   disavow.
         The falsehood of denying his opinion. --Bancroft.
         Thou thrice denied, yet thrice beloved. --Keble.
{To deny one's self}, to decline the gratification of
   appetites or desires; to practice self-denial.
         Let him deny himself, and take up his cross. --Matt.
                                               xvi. 24.

\De*ny"\, v. i.
To answer in ??? negative; to declare an assertion not to be
true.
      Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was
      afraid.                                  --Gen. xviii.
                                               15.