disclaim

English

Etymology

From Middle English disclaimen, from Anglo-Norman disclaimer, from Old French desclamer (French déclamer), des- + clamer.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dɪsˈkleɪm/
• Rhymes: -eɪm
• Hyphenation: dis‧claim

• Audio (UK)

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Verb

disclaim (third-person singular simple present disclaims, present participle disclaiming, simple past and past participle disclaimed)

1. (transitive) To completely renounce claims to; to deny ownership of or responsibility for

   Synonyms: disown, disavow, reject

   • 1697, Virgil, “The Seventh Book of the Æneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 424, lines 817–818:

     He calls the Gods to witness their offence, / Disclaims the War, asserts his Innocence.

   • 1755, Hugh Farmer, Essay on the Demoniacs of the New Testament:

     He disclaims the authority of Jesus.

   • 1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter V, in The History of Pendennis. […], volume II, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1850, →OCLC, page 49:

     By heavens if ever you do it again. If ever you dare to show yourself in my house; or give my name at a gambling-house or at any other house, by Jove—at any other house—or give any reference at all to me, or speak to me in the street, by Gad, or any where else until I speak to you—I disclaim you altogether—I won’t give you another shilling.

   • 1901, W. W. Jacobs, The Monkey's Paw:

     "I was to say that Maw and Meggins disclaim all responsibility," continued the other. "They admit no liability at all, but in consideration of your son's services they wish to present you with a certain sum as compensation."

2. (transitive) To deny, as a claim; to refuse.
   • 1855, Henry Hart Milman, History of Latin Christianity‎^[1]:

     The payment was irregularly made, if not disclaimed.

3. (intransitive, transitive) (law) To relinquish or deny having a claim; to disavow another's claim; to decline accepting, as an estate, interest, or office.
4. (transitive) To make an admission or warning.
   • 2000 December 4, Michael Reuss, “Clambytes 2000 <Long!>”, in alt.religion.scientology‎^[2] (Usenet):

     I disclaim that there will be a lot of inside humor. If you don't read a.r.s often, or are a newbie, you won't get some of the gags.

Synonyms

• (renounce all claim to): disavow, disown, repudiate, renounce; See also Thesaurus:repudiate
• (deny as a claim): refuse
• (relinquish or deny having a claim):

Derived terms

• disclaimer

Part or all of this entry has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.
(See the entry for “disclaim”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.)

Translations

renounce all claim to

• Bulgarian: отказвам се от (otkazvam se ot)
• Esperanto: malpretendi
• Swedish: frånsäga sig (sv)

deny as a claim; refuse

• Czech: dementovat (cs) impf
• Maori: kape, whakakape

relinquish or deny having a claim

Anagrams

• limacids, milacids