Lewis & Short

ab-nŭo, ŭi, ŭĭtum (hence abnŭĭturus, Sall. Fragm. 1, 37 Kritz), or ūtum, 3, v. a. and n. (abnueo, Enn. ap. Diom. p. 378 P. or Ann. v. 283 Vahl.: abnuebunt, id. ib. or Trag. v. 371 id.), lit., to refuse by a nod (cf. Nigid. ap. Gell. 10, 4 fin.); hence, to deny, refuse, to decline doing a thing, to reject.

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen. (syn. recuso; opp. concedo), constr. absol., with the acc., the inf., quin, or de.
          1. (α) Absol.: non recuso, non abnuo, Cic. Mil. 36, 100; so Plaut. Capt. 3, 1, 21; id. Truc. prol. 6; Hor. S. 2, 5, 52; Tac. A. 11, 12; id. Agr. 4 al.
          2. (β) With acc. (in Cic. only with general objects, as quid, nihil): cum intellegas, quid quisque concedat, quid abnuat, Cic. Fin. 2, 1, 3: nihil umquam abnuit meo studio voluntas tua, refused, id. Fat. 2, 3; so, aliquid alicui: regi pacem neque abnuere neque pollicere, Sall. J. 47 fin.: alia (opp. probo), id. ib. 83 fin.: abnuere cognomen Bruti, Liv. 1, 56, 8: imperium, id. 3, 66, 3; cf.: imperium auspiciumque, to reject, id. 28, 27, 4: regulae rationem, Quint. 1, 6, 33: omen, Verg. A. 5, 531: aliquem comitem inceptis, Sil. 3, 110.
          3. (γ) With inf.: certare abnueo, Enn. l. l.: nec abnuebant melioribus parere, Liv. 22, 13 fin.; so id. 22, 37, 4.
            With acc. and inf.: aeternam sibi naturam abnuit esse, Lucr. 3, 641; cf.: abnueret a se commissum esse facinus, Cic. Leg. 1, 14, 40; and: haud equidem abnuo egregium ducem fuisse Alexandrum, Liv. 9, 17, 5; so id. 5, 33, 4; 30, 20, 6; Quint. 5, 8, 3; 6, 2, 11 (opp. concedo); Verg. A. 10, 8 al.; cf. also: manu abnuit quidquam opis in se esse, Liv. 36, 34, 6.
            Impers.: nec abnuitur ita fuisse, Liv. 3, 72, 6.
          4. * (δ) With quin: non abnuere se quin cuncta mala patefierent, Tac. A. 13, 14.
            * (ε) With de: neque illi senatus de ullo negotio abnuere audebat, Sall. J. 84, 3.
    2. B. Esp., abnuens, like the Gr. ἀπειπών, declining service, giving up (very rare): milites fessos itineris magnitudine et jam abnuentes omnia, Sall. J. 68, 3; cf.: fessos abnuentesque taedio et labore, declining the combat, Liv. 27, 49, 3.
  2. II. Transf., of abstract subjects, not to admit of, to be unfavorable (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): quod spes abnuit, Tib. 4, 1, 25: quando impetus et subita belli locus abnueret, Tac. H. 5, 13: hoc videretur, nisi abnueret duritia, Plin. 37, 10, 54, § 145.