I know it’s a small thing but can people please stop using “refute” (prove are untrue) when they actually mean “deny” (say are untrue). @Debbie_abrahams can’t “refute” the claims against her because she can’t *prove* anything when she doesn’t even know what the claims are.
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Sorry that’s just wrong and I am a pedant. Look up how the word has changed in most dictionaries
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You forgot the comma after "Sorry".
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Using words incorrectly in this way impoverishes the English language. The widespread misuse of “infer” when it should be “imply” is another example.
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The problem with redefining 'refute' to mean only 'reject' or 'disagree' is that you are then losing a succinct word to mean "completely disprove beyond argument." This might suit a weasly politician, of course...
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If she doesn't know what she's accused of, then by your argument neither can she "deny". However I deny the allegation that any of us dont know what she means and can probably refute it.
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While the new meaning of "refute" (as in deny) may be now an accepted definition; it's objectionable in that it causes ambiguity/confusion or what is meant, this case being a good example. (Confer "infer" supplanting "imply",or "disinterested" supplanting "uninterested")
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