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Unsay vs Disown - What's the difference?

unsay | disown | Related terms |

Unsay is a related term of disown.


As verbs the difference between unsay and disown

is that unsay is to withdraw, retract (something said) while disown is to refuse to own or to refuse to acknowledge one’s own.

unsay

English

Verb

  • To withdraw, retract (something said).
  • *1851 , Herman Melville, Moby-Dick :
  • *:And in the first place, you will be so good as to unsay that story about selling his head, which if true I take to be good evidence that this harpooneer is stark mad [...].
  • To not have said (since this is physically impossible usually in the subjunctive, as I wish I could unsay ).
  • :There are somethings I'd like to unsay ... to my boss... right before he decided to fire me.

    • See also

    * retract * unspeak

    disown

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To refuse to own or to refuse to acknowledge one’s own.
    • Lord Capulet and his wife threatened to ''disown'' their daughter Juliet if she didn't go through with marrying Count Paris.

    Usage notes

    Particularly used of parents regarding their children, and stronger than the similar estrange, which can also be used of children regarding their parents, or of siblings.

    Synonyms

    * disavow * disclaim