gainsay
/ˈɡeɪnˌseɪ/ verb
Forms gainsays gainsaying gainsaid
- verb (transitive, formal) To say something in contradiction to.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English gainsayen, ȝeinseggen (“to say against, say in opposition to”), equivalent to gain- + say. Compare Old Danish gensige (“to speak against; gainsay”), Swedish gensaga (“a speaking against; protest”).
Webster’s 1913
- verb To contradict; to deny; to controvert; to dispute; to forbid.
Etymology [OE. geinseien, ageinseien. See Again, and Say to utter.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “gainsay”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details