Words / C2

uhb-JOOR/əbˈdʒʊə/

To abjure is to reject a former belief, claim, or practice formally and publicly (formal): abjure a doctrine, abjure violence. To recant (already in the dictionary) is to withdraw a stated belief — the close twin of taking it back; to disavow (already in the dictionary) is to deny any connection. To avow (already in the dictionary) is to declare openly — the opposite flavour. A rounded abstract is not a record of the n.

Meaning

To reject a former belief, claim, or practice formally and publicly (formal).

Examples

• “Abjure the rounded abstract in the minutes; put the raw n in the cell.”
• “To recant is to withdraw a claim (already in C2). To disavow is to deny connection (already in C1). To avow is to declare openly (already in C2) — the contrast. An awkward true sentence can still be exact. An anecdote that never states the cell is a hole. Put the number on the table; then the wine.”

Good to know

Formally reject (a claim). Close: recant (already in C2); disavow (already in C1). Contrast: avow (declare openly — already in C2). A rounding is not an n.

Near in meaning

renounce, reject, forswear, recant

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