The Collaborative International Dictionary
Rebut \Re*but"\ (r[-e]*b[u^]t"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rebutted; p. pr. & vb. n. Rebutting.] [OF. rebouter to repulse, drive back; pref. re- + bouter to push, thrust. See 1st Butt, Boutade.]
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To drive or beat back; to repulse.
Who him, rencount'ring fierce, as hawk in flight, Perforce rebutted back.
--Spenser. (Law) To contradict, meet, or oppose by argument, plea, or countervailing proof.
--Abbott.
Wiktionary
vb. (present participle of rebut English)
WordNet
v. overthrow by argument, evidence, or proof; "The speaker refuted his opponent's arguments" [syn: refute]
prove to be false or incorrect [syn: refute, controvert]
See rebut
Usage examples of "rebutting".
Our adversaries do not deny that even here there is a system of law and penalty: and surely we cannot in justice blame a dominion which awards to every one his due, where virtue has its honour, and vice comes to its fitting shame, in which there are not merely representations of the gods, but the gods themselves, watchers from above, and--as we read--easily rebutting human reproaches, since they lead all things in order from a beginning to an end, allotting to each human being, as life follows life, a fortune shaped to all that has preceded--the destiny which, to those that do not penetrate it, becomes the matter of boorish insolence upon things divine.
There was no effective rebutting evidence, and after some hard arguing by the attorneys on both sides, the case was closed, and the judge deferred his decision until the third day thereafter.
We will begin rebutting very soon now, and we are grateful for your patience.
Okay, we do apologize for any inconvenience, but we have been informed that the word-processor problems have been corrected and we will begin rebutting any moment now.