Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Opposition, especially in speech; refusal to accept or believe something; contradiction; denial.
  • noun Rebellious opposition; rebellion Core.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Opposition, especially in speech.
  • noun Refusal to accept or believe something.
  • noun Contradiction.
  • noun Denial; denying.
  • noun archaic or obsolete Rebellious opposition; rebellion.
  • verb Present participle of gainsay.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English gaynesayenge, ȝeinseiing, ȝeinsegging, equivalent to gainsay +‎ -ing.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From gainsay.

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Examples

  • All of the gainsaying is irrelevant and unnecessary in that light.

    A Modest Proposal (By a Somewhat Modest Engineer) 2009

  • Answerable to this wilfulness of theirs, in gainsaying the truth,

    Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume VI (Acts to Revelation) 1721

  • Alas! the more upright they are, the fitter for the Lord by them to break a gainsaying people.

    The Sermons of John Owen 1616-1683 1968

  • Korah was the ring-leader: he formed and headed the faction; therefore it is called the gainsaying of Korah, Jude 11.

    Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume I (Genesis to Deuteronomy) 1721

  • Did you know that MLK used the word gainsaid actually "gainsaying" in his Letter From a Birmingham Jail?

    Racism over, black people say. Ann Althouse 2009

  • "By the three kings!" cried the Brabanter, "this time at least there is no gainsaying which is the better weapon, or which the truer hand that held it.

    The White Company Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir, 1859-1930 1902

  • "By the three kings!" cried the Brabanter, "this time at least there is no gainsaying which is the better weapon, or which the truer hand that held it.

    The White Company Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir, 1859-1930 1902

  • "By the three kings!" cried the Brabanter, "this time at least there is no gainsaying which is the better weapon, or which the truer hand that held it.

    The White Company Arthur Conan Doyle 1894

  • "By the three kings!" cried the Brabanter, "this time at least there is no gainsaying which is the better weapon, or which the truer hand that held it.

    The White Company 1890

  • And so, as I say, Pons had earned such a right to impudent familiarity that at least there was no gainsaying him by my father's son.

    Chapter 11 2010

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