nĕgo, āvi, ātum, 1 (perf. subj. negāssim for negaverim, Plaut. As. 2, 4, 96.—Lengthened collat. form negumo: negumate in carmine Cn. Marci vatis significat negate, Paul. ex Fest. p. 165 Müll.; cf. Herm. Doct. Metr. p. 614), v. n. and a. [for ne-igo, ne and ajo, q. v.], to say no, to deny, refuse (opp. ajo, to say yes; v. ajo; cf.: abnuo, diffiteor, infitior).
I In gen.: vel ai, vel nega, say yes or no , Naev. ap. Prisc. p. 473 P.: vel tu mihi aias vel neges, Plaut. Rud. 2, 4, 14: negat quis? nego. Ait? aio, Ter. Eun. 252: Diogenes ait, Antipater negat, Cic. Off. 3, 23, 91: quasi ego id curem, quid ille aiat aut neget, id. Fin. 2, 22, 70: quia nunc aiunt, quod tunc negabant, id. Rab. Post. 12, 35.— With acc. and inf., to say or affirm that not, to deny that , etc.: Demosthenes negat, in eo positas esse fortunas Graeciae, hoc, etc., Cic. Or. 8 fin. : Stoici negant quidquam esse bonum, nisi quod honestum sit, id. Fin. 2, 21, 68; id. de Or. 3, 14, 54: nego, ullam picturam fuisse, quin abstulerit, id. Verr. 2, 4, 1, § 1; Caes. B. G. 6, 31.—With quoniam (eccl. Lat.): negat quoniam Jesus est Christus, Vulg. 1 Joann. 2, 22.—Sometimes two propositions depend upon nego, with the latter of which an affirmative verb (dico, etc.) is to be supplied: plerique negant Caesarem in condicione mansurum: postulataque haec ab eo interposita esse, etc., Cic. Att. 7, 15, 3: negabat cessandum et utique prius confligendum, Liv. 35, 1: ille negat se Numidam pertimescere, virtuti suorum credere, Sall. J. 106, 3; Vell. 2, 118, 5; Ter. Phorm. 353.—Sometimes another negation follows, which, however, does not destroy the first: negat nec suspicari, Cic. Ac. 1, 2, 7: negato esse nec mu, nec mutuum, Plaut. Stich. 1, 3, 101: tu autem te negas infracto remo, neque columbae collo, commoveri, Cic. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 25, 79.—
β Pass. with inf., they say I am not , etc.: casta negor (sc. esse), Ov. F. 4, 321: saepe domi non es, cum sis quoque saepe negaris, Mart. 2, 5, 5: ex eo negantur ibi ranae coaxare, Suet. Aug. 94: ciconiae pullum qui ederit, negatur annis continuis lippiturus, Plin. 29, 6, 38, § 128.—
II In partic.
A To deny a thing; factum est: non nego, Ter. Ad. 798; opp. fateri, Cic. Brut. 19, 76: sed posthac omnia, quae certa non erunt, pro certo negato, id. Att. 5, 21, 5: negaturum aut me pro M. Fulvio, aut ipsum M. Fulvium censetis? Liv. 38, 43: negando minuendove, Suet. Caes. 66: mitto enim domestica, quae negari possunt, i. e. the proof of which can be suppressed , Cic. Pis. 5, 11: videant servi ne quis neget, Juv. 10, 87.— With quin : negare non posse, quin rectius sit, etc., Liv. 40, 36: quod si negari non potest, quin, etc., Lact. 5, 23 init. —
B To deny, refuse : quicquam quisquam cuiquam, quod ei conveniat, neget, Enn. ap. Auct. Her. 4, 12, 18 (Trag. v. 448 Vahl.): numquam reo cuiquam tam praecise negavi, quam hic mihi, Cic. Att. 8, 4, 2: postquam id obstinate sibi negari videt, Caes. B. G. 5, 6: alicui impune negare, Ov. M. 13, 741: patriae opem, id. H. 3, 96: miseris, id. Tr. 5, 8, 13: civitatem alicui, Suet. Aug. 40: non ego me vinclis verberibusque nego, Tib. 2, 3, 80; Luc. 8, 3: exstingui primordia tanta negabam, Sil. 9, 532: neque enim negare tibi quidquam potest, Vulg. 3 Reg. 2, 17.—
b Se, to refuse (ante class.): obsecrat, Ut sibi ejus faciat copiam: illa enim se negat, Ter. Phorm. 113; id. Hec. 120.—
C E s p., to decline an invitation: invitatus ad haec aliquis de ponte negabit, Juv. 14, 135.—
2 Transf., of inanim. things (poet.): poma negat regio, i. e. does not yield, produce , Ov. Tr. 3, 10, 73: nec mihi materiam bellatrix Roma negabat, id. ib. 2, 321: pars ventis vela negare, i. e. to furl the sails , Ov. M. 11, 487: si dextra neget, Stat. Th. 6, 553: saxa negantia ferro, opposing , id. Silv. 3, 1, 124: illi membra negant, his limbs fail him , id. Th. 2, 668.—
D To deny any knowledge of, to reject (with acc. of persons; eccl. Lat.): negaverunt Dominum, Vulg. Jer. 5, 12: qui me negaverit, ib. Matt. 10, 33: Christum negantes, ib. Judae, 4.