n.1. A refusal to comply with or satisfy a request.
2. a. A refusal to grant the truth of a statement or allegation; a contradiction.
b. Law The formal challenge by a defendant of the truth of an allegation made by the plaintiff.
3. a. A refusal to accept or believe something, such as a doctrine or belief.
b. Psychology An unconscious defense mechanism characterized by refusal to acknowledge painful realities, thoughts, or feelings.
4. The act of disowning or disavowing; repudiation.
5. Abstinence; self-denial.