cant-, chant-
(Latin: sing, singing; a song)
recant (verb), recants; recanted; recanting
1. To formally reject or to disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure: The witness was pressured to recant her testimony in court.
2. To deny believing in something or to withdraw something previously said: When confronted with new evidence, the spy recanted her evidence which had sounded so believable before.
3. To make a formal retraction or disavowal of a previously held statement or belief: The senator agreed to recant his allegations about the President and signed a formal statement indicating his new position.
4. Etymology: from about 1535, from Latin recantare, "to recall, to revoke"; from re-, "back" + cantare, "to sing, to chant".
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2. To deny believing in something or to withdraw something previously said: When confronted with new evidence, the spy recanted her evidence which had sounded so believable before.
3. To make a formal retraction or disavowal of a previously held statement or belief: The senator agreed to recant his allegations about the President and signed a formal statement indicating his new position.
4. Etymology: from about 1535, from Latin recantare, "to recall, to revoke"; from re-, "back" + cantare, "to sing, to chant".
A loan-translation of Greek palinoidein, "recant", from palin, "back" + oeidein, "to sing".
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1. The act of recalling or a retraction.
2. A declaration that contradicts a former one.
2. A declaration that contradicts a former one.
1. A person who formally withdraws his or her belief in something previously believed or maintained.
2. Someone who formally and publicly denies some opinion or statement; especially, in religion which that person has held or advocated.
2. Someone who formally and publicly denies some opinion or statement; especially, in religion which that person has held or advocated.
