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renege

[ri-nig, -neg, -neeg]
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verb (used without object), re·neged, re·neg·ing.

Cards. to play a card that is not of the suit led when one can follow suit; break a rule of play.
to go back on one's word: He has reneged on his promise.

verb (used with object), re·neged, re·neg·ing.

Archaic. to deny; disown; renounce.

noun

Cards. an act or instance of reneging.

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RELATED WORDS

default, reverse, welsh

Nearby words

  1. rendu-osler-weber disease,
  2. rendu-osler-weber syndrome,
  3. rendzina,
  4. renegade,
  5. renegado,
  6. renegotiable-rate mortgage,
  7. renegotiate,
  8. renew,
  9. renewable,
  10. renewable energy

Origin of renege

1540–50; earlier renegue < Medieval Latin renegāre, equivalent to re- re- + negāre to deny (cf. negative)
Related formsre·neg·er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for renege

British Dictionary definitions for renege

renege

renegue

verb

(intr often foll by on) to go back (on one's promise, etc)

verb, noun

cards other words for revoke
Derived Formsreneger or reneguer, noun

Word Origin for renege

C16 (in the sense: to deny, renounce): from Medieval Latin renegāre to renounce; see renegade
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for renege

renege

v.

1540s, "deny, renounce, abandon," from Medieval Latin renegare, from Latin re-, here probably an intensive prefix, + negare "deny" (see deny). Meaning "change one's mind" is from 1784. Related: Reneged; reneging.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper