▪ I. † withˈsay, n. Obs.
[f. next.]
= prec.
| c 1315 Shoreham vii. 369 Þer nere stryf ne contekynge, Ne no wyþ-sey. |
▪ II. † withˈsay, v. Obs.
[OE. (rare Northumb.) wiðsæcga: see with- and say v.1 Cf. OFris. withsedza.]
1. trans. To renounce. rare.
| c 960 Rituale Dunelm. (Surtees) 34 Terrena desideria respuentes, eardlico lvsto wiðsæcgende. c 1386 Chaucer Sec. Nun's T. 447 Euery cristen wight shal han penaunce But if that he his cristendom withseye. Ibid. 457 We that knowen thilke name [of Christian] so For vertuous, we may it nat withseye. |
2. a. To affirm the contrary of, contradict, deny (a fact or statement); also, to deny the existence of.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 86 Ȝif a mon..deð so much mis þat hit beo so open sunne þat he hit ne mei nonesweis allelunge wiðsiggen. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 2309 To londone he gan him bringe, & sede he was purost eyr to be icrouned to kinge. Nomon ne miȝte it wel wiþ segge. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 9800 Syker ys, þat yn rolle ys leyde, For þan may hyt neuer be wyþseyde. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 19 Sawes þat wiþseiþ nouȝt oure byleue. 1443–50 in W. P. Baildon Sel. Cases Chanc. (1896) 136 He withseieth not the matier conteigned in the seid bille of complainte. 1493 Cov. Leet Bk. 57 To which the Recordour..seid that he withseith not þe ffraunchis of Couentre, nor the allowance þerof had at Bristoll. 1530 Palsgr. 783/2 Sythe I have sayd it, I wyll never withsay it. 1567 Turberv. Ovid's Ep. 136 That Dian witnesde thou canst not withsaye. |
b. To contradict, deny the statement of (a person).
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 10349 Wan þou seist, quaþ þe king, þat þat was mi þouȝt, So gret louerd as þou art, Ine wiþsegge þe nouȝt. 1387–8 T. Usk Test. Love i. ii. (Skeat) I. 184 To withsaye thilke men that of thee speken otherwyse than the sothe. 1426 Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 5594, I ne may Suffre..But that I muste yow with-seyn. 1530 Rastell Bk. Purgat. i. vii, As beyng and not beynge be two contraryauntys [etc.] the one alway doth denye and with saye the other. |
c. intr. To make denial or contradiction; to speak in opposition to; also trans. to utter by way of contradiction.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 17288 + 11 In witnes þai ros with him,..For þe Iews suld not with-say Þat gart to ded him bring. 1382 Wyclif Job xvi. 9 The false seiere is rered vp aȝen my face, withseiende to me. ― Judith i. 11 To alle these Nabugodonosor..sente messageres; the whiche alle with o wil withseiden. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 341 Whan Nestor hath his tale seid, Ayein him was no word withseid. a 1400 Engl. Gilds (1870) 355 Þat euerych bakere habbe hys seal y knowe vpon hys loff, þat he ne mowe wiþ-segge ȝif he is of take oþer þan weel. c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode i. lxxiii. (1869) 48, I may not to that of no thing wel withseye. 1463 Cases bef. King's Council (Selden) 113 b, Forasmoch as they withsey not by dedez and actez of their factours. |
3. trans. To speak or act against, oppose, resist; = gainsay v. 3; occas. to say (a thing) in opposition. Also, to disallow, forbid. Also absol.
| c 1200 Ormin 17826 Fele þede modiliȝ wiþþstodenn, & wiþþseȝȝdenn..heffness lihht. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 139 Bi þo daȝes luuede herodes..his broðer wif, and binam hire him, and Seint Iohan hit wið seide. a 1225 Ancr. R. 204 Hwonne þe schil & te heorte ne wiðsiggeð nout. c 1275 Passion our Lord 422 in O.E. Misc. 49 Eueruych mon þat makeþ hym king..He wyþ-seyþ cesare. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 160 Þat no man dar wiþ-seie hem in here wrong. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 805 Who so wole my Iuggement with⁓seye. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 312 Ther mai noman his happ withsein. 1471 Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) 88 That ther be not oon man that is so hardy to withsaye ony thynge contrarye to my will. 1483 ― G. de la Tour xxix. c vj, He was..patron of the parysshe and the parson durst not with⁓saye hym. Ibid. cxxxiii. mij b, I defende and withsaye to them the kyssyng. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. cclxxxiv. 174/1, I may nat nor dare nat withsay yo{supr} noble pleasure. a 1529 Skelton Sp. Parrot 395 Moloc, that mawmett, there darre no man withsay. |
4. a. To refuse to do or perform. Also absol.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 238 Þeo..wiðseggeð þe graunt þerof mid unwille heorte. a 1225 Juliana 26 Ȝet tu maht ȝef þu wult burhen þe seoluen, ant ȝef þu mare wiðseist [etc.]. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 7689 To hom þat wolde is wille do debonere he was & milde & to hom þat wiþsede strong tirant & wilde. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. Prol. 367 Or hym was bodyn make thilke tweye Of sum persone & durste it not with-seye. 1485 Caxton Chas. Gt. 49 Gladly he wold haue doo the bataylle yf he had not wythsayed it..whan he was requyred. |
b. To decline to give, grant, or allow; to refuse. Also with dat. of person (sometimes without dir. obj.).
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 4920 + 6 Þe byssop yt nolde grante ac outlych yt wyþ seyde. 13.. K. Alis. 2905 (Laud MS.) Homage nolde hym non wiþsaye. 1402 Hoccleve Let. Cupid 108 She..So lyberal ys, she wol no wyght with-sey. c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 32 She..Halsethe and kissethe and wol hym not with-seyne. c 1450 Merlin xiv. 204, I will in no wise with-sey that ye requere. c 1475 Partenay 86 No man shall ther-of you werne ne withsay. 1531 Dial. on Laws Eng. i. vi. 10 b, I wyll nat withsay thy desyre. 1545 R. Ascham Toxoph. (Arb.) 165 Thanke your selfe, whiche woulde haue me rather faulte..than..withsay your request. 16.. Eger & Grine 590 in Furniv. & Hales Percy Folio I. 372 Soe he desired that sword soe bright That shee was loth to with-say that Knight. 1661–85 in Househ. Ord. (1790) 372 This is in noe wise to bee withsaid, for it is the King's honour. |
Hence † withˈsayer, a gainsayer, opponent.
| c 1420 Wycliffite Bible Pref. Ep. iii. 63 The withseieris to withstonde [orig. contradicentes revincere]. c 1450 Godstow Reg. 267 All withseyers and attemptours to breke this writyng. |