refuse to acknowledge; disclaim knowledge of; responsibility for, or association with; "Her husband disavowed her after 30 years of marriage and six children"
an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes; "they stormed the ramparts of the city"; "they blew the trumpet and the walls came tumbling down"
a word that expresses a meaning opposed to the meaning of another word, in which case the two words are antonyms of each other; "to him the antonym of `gay' was `depressed'"
resist or confront with resistance; "The politician defied public opinion"; "The new material withstands even the greatest wear and tear"; "The bridge held"
elude, especially in a baffling way; "This behavior defies explanation"