different between eschew vs gainsay

English

Etymology

From Middle English eschewen, from Anglo-Norman eschiver, (third-person present eschiu), from Frankish *skiuhan (“to dread, shun, avoid”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?s?t?u?/, /?s?t?u?/, /???t?u?/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?s?t?u/, /?s?t?u/, /?s?t?ju/

  (US, sometimes proscribed) IPA^(key): /???u/, /???u/ or /??skju/

  Garner's Modern American Usage prefers /s.t?/, proscribes /?/, and does not recognize /sk/.

Verb

eschew (third-person singular simple present eschews, present participle eschewing, simple past and past participle eschewed)

1. (transitive, formal) To avoid; to shun, to shy away from.

Usage notes

• The verb eschew is not normally applied to the avoidance or shunning of a person or physical object, but rather, only to the avoidance or shunning of an idea, concept, or other intangible.

Quotations

• Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

• 1927, H. P. Lovecraft, "The Horror at Red Hook"

  He could afford no servants, and would admit but few visitors to his absolute solitude; eschewing close friendships and receiving his rare acquaintances in one of the three ground-floor rooms which he kept in order.

Derived terms

• eschewable
• eschewment
• umbeschew
• uneschewable

Related terms

• shy

Translations

References

Anagrams

• Schewe

English

Etymology

From Middle English gainsayen, ?einseggen (“to say against, say in opposition to”), equivalent to gain- +? say. Compare Old Danish gensige (“to speak against; gainsay”), Swedish gensaga (“a speaking against; protest”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?e?n?se?/
• (US, also) IPA^(key): /??e?n?se?/
• Rhymes: -e?

Verb

gainsay (third-person singular simple present gainsays, present participle gainsaying, simple past and past participle gainsaid)

1. (transitive, formal) To say something in contradiction to.

   Synonyms: controvert, deny, dispute, refute, withsay

Derived terms

• gainsayer
• gainsaying

Translations

Anagrams

• angiyas, gaysian