Renounce

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: re=nounce

CIDE DICTIONARY

Renounce, v. t. [F. renoncer, L. renuntiare to bring back word, announce, revoke, retract, renounce; pref. re- re- + nuntiare to announce, fr. nuncius, a messenger. See Nuncio, and cf. Renunciation.].

•  To declare against; to reject or decline formally; to refuse to own or acknowledge as belonging to one; to disclaim; as, to renounce a title to land or to a throne.  [1913 Webster]
•  To cast off or reject deliberately; to disown; to dismiss; to forswear.  [1913 Webster]

  "This world I do renounce, and in your sights
  Shake patiently my great affliction off."  [1913 Webster]
•  To disclaim having a card of (the suit led) by playing a card of another suit.  [1913 Webster]

  "From Thebes my birth I own; . . . since no disgrace
  Can force me to renounce the honor of my race."  [1913 Webster]

  "Either to die the death, or to abjure
  Forever the society of man."  [1913 Webster]

  "Ease would recant
  Vows made in pain, as violent and void."  [1913 Webster]

To renounce probate (Law), to decline to act as the executor of a will. Mozley & W.

Syn. -- To cast off; disavow; disown; disclaim; deny; abjure; recant; abandon; forsake; quit; forego; resign; relinquish; give up; abdicate.

Renounce, v. i. 

•  To make renunciation.  [1913 Webster]

  "He of my sons who fails to make it good,
  By one rebellious act renounces to my blood."  [1913 Webster]
•  To decline formally, as an executor or a person entitled to letters of administration, to take out probate or letters.  [1913 Webster]

  "Dryden died without a will, and his widow having renounced, his son Charles administered on June 10."  [1913 Webster]

Renounce, n. 

 Act of renouncing.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Renounce, v.
1 tr. consent formally to abandon; surrender; give up (a claim, right, possession, etc.).
2 tr. repudiate; refuse to recognize any longer (renouncing their father's authority).
3 tr. a decline further association or disclaim relationship with (renounced my former friends). b withdraw from; discontinue; forsake.
4 intr. Law refuse or resign a right or position esp. as an heir or trustee.
5 intr. Cards follow with a card of another suit when having no card of the suit led (cf. REVOKE).

Idiom

renounce the world abandon society or material affairs.

Derivative

renounceable adj. renouncement n. renouncer n.

Etymology

ME f. OF renoncer f. L renuntiare (as RE-, nuntiare announce)

THESAURUS

Renounce

abandon, abdicate, abjure, abort, abstain from, acknowledge defeat, assert the contrary, avoid, back down, back out, backwater, beg a truce, belay, belie, brush aside, cancel, capitulate, cease, cede, chuck, chuck out, climb down, come off, come to terms, contemn, contest, contradict, contravene, controvert, counter, crawfish out, cross, cry pax, cry quits, cut it out, cut out, decline, demit, deny, desert, desist, desist from, despise, disaffirm, disallow, disapprove, disavow, discard, disclaim, discontinue, discount, disdain, disgorge, dismiss, disown, dispense with, dispose of, disprove, dispute, disregard, disuse, do without, drop, drop it, dump, eat crow, eat humble pie, end, eschew, except, exclude, forgo, forsake, forswear, gainsay, get along without, get rid of, give away, give over, give up, halt, hand over, have done with, hold, ignore, implore mercy, impugn, join issue upon, kiss good-bye, knock it off, lay down, lay off, leave off, let go, make a sacrifice, nol-pros, not accept, not admit, not pursue with, nullify, oppose, part with, pass by, pass up, pray for quarter, push aside, put behind one, quit, quitclaim, rebuff, recant, refrain, refuse, refuse to admit, refuse to consider, refute, reject, relinquish, render up, renege, repel, repudiate, repulse, resign, retract, revoke, sacrifice, say uncle, scout, scrub, shove away, shun, spare, spurn, stay, stop, surrender, swallow, swear off, take back, take issue with, take the pledge, terminate, throw, throw away, throw off, throw out, throw up, turn, turn away, turn out, unsay, vacate, waive, withdraw, yield, yield the palm

ROGET THESAURUS

Renounce

Tergiversation

VB change one's mind, change one's intention, change one's purpose, change one's note, abjure, renounce, withdraw from, waver, vacillate, wheel round, turn round, veer round, turn a pirouette, go over from one side to another, pass from one side to another, change from one side to another, skip from one side to another, go to the rightabout, box the compass, shift one's ground, go upon another tack, apostatize, change sides, go over, rat, recant, retract, revoke, rescind, recall, forswear, unsay, come over, come round to an opinion, crawfish, crawl, draw in one's horns, eat one's words, eat the leek, swallow the leek, swerve, flinch, back out of, retrace one's steps, think better of it, come back return to one's first love, turn over a new leaf, trim, shuffle, play fast and loose, blow hot and cold, coquet, be on the fence, straddle, bold with the hare but run with the hounds, nager entre deux eaux, wait to see how the cat jumps, wait to see how the wind blows.

Relinquishment

VB relinquish, give up, abandon, desert, forsake, leave in the lurch, go back on, depart from, secede from, withdraw from, back out of, leave, quit, take leave of, bid a long farewell, vacate, renounce, forego, have done with, drop, disuse, discard, wash one's hands of, drop all idea of, break off, leave off, desist, stop, hold one's hand, stay one's hand, quit one's hold, give over, shut up shop, throw up the game, throw up the cards, give up the point, give up the argument, pass to the order of the day, move to the previous question, relinquish, give up, surrender, yield, cede, let go, let slip, spare, drop, resign, forego, renounce, abandon, expropriate, give away, dispose of, part with, lay aside, lay apart, lay down, lay on the shelf, set aside, put aside, put away, make away with, cast behind, maroon, give notice to quit, give warning, supersede, be rid of, get rid of, be quit of, get quit of, eject, rid oneself of, disburden oneself of, divest oneself of, dispossess oneself of, wash one's hands of, discard, cast off, dismiss, cast away, throw away, pitch away, fling away, cast aside, cast overboard, cast to the dogs, throw aside, throw overboard, throw to the dogs, pitch aside, pitch overboard, pitch to the dogs, fling aside, fling overboard, fling to the dogs, cast to the winds, throw to the winds, sweep to the winds, put away, turn away, sweep away, jettison, reject, quit one's hold, quitclaim, relinquish, give up, abandon, desert, forsake, leave in the lurch, go back on, depart from, secede from, withdraw from, back out of, leave, quit, take leave of, bid a long farewell, vacate, renounce, forego, have done with, drop, disuse, discard, wash one's hands of, drop all idea of, break off, leave off, desist, stop, hold one's hand, stay one's hand, quit one's hold, give over, shut up shop, throw up the game, throw up the cards, give up the point, give up the argument, pass to the order of the day, move to the previous question, relinquish, give up, surrender, yield, cede, let go, let slip, spare, drop, resign, forego, renounce, abandon, expropriate, give away, dispose of, part with, lay aside, lay apart, lay down, lay on the shelf, set aside, put aside, put away, make away with, cast behind, maroon, give notice to quit, give warning, supersede, be rid of, get rid of, be quit of, get quit of, eject, rid oneself of, disburden oneself of, divest oneself of, dispossess oneself of, wash one's hands of, discard, cast off, dismiss, cast away, throw away, pitch away, fling away, cast aside, cast overboard, cast to the dogs, throw aside, throw overboard, throw to the dogs, pitch aside, pitch overboard, pitch to the dogs, fling aside, fling overboard, fling to the dogs, cast to the winds, throw to the winds, sweep to the winds, put away, turn away, sweep away, jettison, reject, quit one's hold, quitclaim.

Resignation

VB resign, give up, throw up, lay down, throw up the cards, wash one's hands of, abjure, renounce, forego, disclaim, retract, deny, abrogate, desert, get rid of, abdicate, vacate, vacate one's seat, accept the stewardship of the Chiltern Hundreds, retire, tender one's resignation.

Dereliction of Duty

VB violate, break, break through, infringe, set aside, set at naught, encroach upon, trench upon, trample on, trample under foot, slight, neglect, evade, renounce, forswear, repudiate, wash one's hands of, escape, transgress, fail, call to account.