renege

English

WOTD – 21 October 2006

Borrowed from Latin renegō, from negō (“I deny”). Possibly influenced by renegotiate. Doublet of renay. See also renegade.

renege (third-person singular simple present reneges, present participle reneging, simple past and past participle reneged)

(intransitive) To break a promise or commitment; to go back on one's word.
- 2010, Dolly Freed, Possum Living, page 149:
  Previously I promised not to proselytize miserism, but now I want to renege a little on that promise. If your family income is anywhere near average, you can scrimp and save and cut back for maybe two to four years […]
- 2011 February 5, Michael Kevin Darling, “Tottenham 2 - 1 Bolton”, in BBC‎:
  Clattenburg awarded Spurs a penalty for the third time after a handball in the area but he reneged after realising that the linesman had flagged Crouch offside in the build-up.
(intransitive) In a card game, to break one's commitment to follow suit when capable.
(transitive, archaic) To deny; to renounce
- c. 1606–1607, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
  His captaines heart, / Which in the ſcuffles of great fights hath burſt / The Buckles on his breaſt, reneages all temper, / And is become the bellowes and the Fan / To coole a Gypſies Luſt.
- 1608, Josuah Sylvester, The Sepmaines of Du Bartas:
  All Europe high (all sorts of rights reneged) / Against the truth and thee unholy leagued.

English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₁eǵ-‎ (0 c, 9 e)

break a promise or commitment

card games: fail to follow suit when capable

deny, renounce

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