Emily Dickinson Lexicon

DE-NY', v.t. [Fr. denier; L. denego; de and nego, to deny, Sw. neka, W. nacu. Hence, nay, Dan. nej. The sense is to thrust from.]

1. To contradict; to gainsay; to declare a statement or position not to be true. We deny what another says, or we deny a proposition. We deny the truth of an assertion, or the assertion itself. The sense of this verb is often expressed by no or nay.
2. To refuse to grant; as, we asked for bread, and the man denied us.
3. Not to afford; to withhold. Who finds not Providence all good and wise, / Alike in what he gives, and what denies? – Pope.
4. To disown: to refuse or neglect to acknowledge; not to confess. He that denieth me before men, shall be denied before the angels of God. – Luke xii.
5. To reject; to disown; not to receive or embrace. He hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. – 1 Tim. v. Denying ungodliness and wordly lusts. – Tit. ii.
6. Not to afford or yield. – Kirwan. To deny one's self, is to decline the gratification of appetites or desires; to refrain from; to abstain. The temperate man denies himself the free use of spirituous liquors. I denied myself the pleasure of your company. “God can not deny himself.” He can not act in contradiction to his character and promises. He can not be unfaithful. – 2 Tim. ii.