different between denial vs abstention

English

Etymology

deny +? -al

Pronunciation

• (General American, Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /d??na?.?l/
• Rhymes: -a??l

Noun

denial (countable and uncountable, plural denials)

1. (logic) The negation in logic.

2. A refusal to comply with a request.

3. An assertion of untruth.

4. Refusal to believe a problem exists

5. Refusal to admit responsibility for wrongdoing
6. Negationism, denialism of historical facts or accepted interpretation
7. (dated, psychology) A defense mechanism involving a refusal to accept the truth of a phenomenon or prospect.
   • 2007 Feb. 11, "No facts, just emotion," Washington Times (retrieved 11 June 2013):

     "Denial" came out of the therapyspeak prevalent in the middle of the 20th century, especially as it was applied to confronting the reality of mortality. It was popularized as the first stage of grief, and quickly expanded to include refusal to confront any bad news or disturbing ideas.

Usage notes

• See refute.

Derived terms

• denialism
• denial is not a river in Egypt
• in denial
• non-denial denial
• self-denial

Related terms

• denier
• deny

Translations

Anagrams

• Aldine, Daniel, Delian, Delina, Denali, Leanid, alined, daniel, deal in, dealin', denail, dienal, enlaid, inlead, lained, lead in, lead-in, leadin', nailed

English

Etymology

First attested in 1521. Borrowed from French abstention, from Late Latin abst?nti? from Latin abstin?? (“withhold, to abstain”)

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?b?st?n.?n?/
• (US) IPA^(key): /æb?st?n.?n?/, /?b?st?n.?n?/, /æb?st?n.t??n?/, /?b?st?n.t??n?/

Noun

abstention (countable and uncountable, plural abstentions)

1. (obsolete) The act of restraining oneself. [Attested from the early 16^th century until the med 17^th century.]
2. The act of abstaining; a holding aloof; refraining from. [First attested in the early 17^th century.]
3. The act of declining to vote on a particular issue. [First attested in the late 19^th century.]
4. Non-participation in the political world; as a country avoiding international affairs.

Derived terms

• abstentious

Translations

See also

• abstinence

References

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin abstenti?, abstenti?nem, from Latin abstentus, from abstine?.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ap.st??.sj??/

Noun

abstention f (plural abstentions)

1. abstention

Related terms

• abstenir
• abstinence

Further reading

• “abstention” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).