gainsaying

English

Etymology 1

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

Noun

gainsaying (plural gainsayings)

1. Opposition, especially in speech.
   • 1903, American Baptist Foreign Mission Society, Baptist missionary magazine: Volume 83:

     This gainsaying may take numberless forms: [...]

   • c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:

     Wee'le part the time betweene's then: and in that Ile no gaine-saying. […]

2. Refusal to accept or believe something.
   • 1859, Henry Alford, The Greek Testament::

     So that it is best to take this meaning here, and understand, that an oath puts an end to all gainsaying by confirming the matter one way, in which all parties consent [...]

3. Contradiction.
   • 1969, Robert Lisle Lindsey, A Hebrew translation of the Gospel of Mark:

     There is no gainsaying this logic.

4. Denial; denying.
   • 1887, The Rose of Paradise:

     But there was no gainsaying the wisdom of the advice which he had given me as to concealing the treasure.

5. (archaic or obsolete) Rebellious opposition; rebellion.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Jude 11::

     Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

Related terms

• gainsaw

Translations

opposition

• Swedish: invändning (sv) c, gensaga (sv) c, gensägelse (sv) c, protest (sv) c

contradiction

• Swedish: motsägelse (sv) c

Etymology 2

From gainsay.

Verb

gainsaying

1. present participle and gerund of gainsay