renounce Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb give up, such as power, as of monarchs and emperors, or duties and obligations
    abdicate.
    • The King abdicated when he married a divorcee
  2. verb leave (a job, post, or position) voluntarily
    vacate; give up; resign.
    • She vacated the position when she got pregnant
    • The chairman resigned when he was found to have misappropriated funds
  3. verb turn away from; give up
    relinquish; foreswear; quit.
    • I am foreswearing women forever
  4. verb cast off
    repudiate; disown.
    • She renounced her husband
    • The parents repudiated their son

WordNet

Re*nounce" transitive verb
Etymology
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.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Renounced present participle & verbal noun Renouncing
Definitions
  1. 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.
  2. To cast off or reject deliberately; to disown; to dismiss; to forswear.
    This world I do renounce, and in your sights Shake patiently my great affliction off. Shak.
  3. (Card Playing) To disclaim having a card of (the suit led) by playing a card of another suit. Syn. -- To cast off; disavow; disown; disclaim; deny; abjure; recant; abandon; forsake; quit; forego; resign; relinquish; give up; abdicate. -- Renounce, Abjure, Recant. -- To renounce is to make an affirmative declaration of abandonment. To abjure is to renounce with, or as with, the solemnity of an oath. To recant is to renounce or abjure some proposition previously affirmed and maintained.
    From Thebes my birth I own; . . . since no disgrace Can force me to renounce the honor of my race. Dryden.
    Either to die the death, or to abjure Forever the society of man. Shak.
    Ease would recant Vows made in pain, as violent and void. Milton.
Re*nounce" intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To make renunciation. Obs.
    He of my sons who fails to make it good, By one rebellious act renounces to my blood. Dryden.
  2. (Law) To decline formally, as an executor or a person entitled to letters of administration, to take out probate or letters.
    Dryden died without a will, and his widow having renounced, his son Charles administered on June 10. W. D. Christie.
Re*nounce" noun
Definitions
  1. (Card Playing) Act of renouncing.

Webster 1913