recant

First attested in 1535, from Latin recantare, present active infinitive of recanto (“to sing back, reecho, sing again, repeat in singing, recant, recall, revoke, charm back or away”), from re- (“back”) + canto (“to chant, to sing”), frequentative of cano.

• IPA^(key): /ɹəˈkænt/
• Rhymes: -ænt

recant (third-person singular simple present recants, present participle recanting, simple past and past participle recanted)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To withdraw or repudiate a statement or opinion formerly expressed, especially formally and publicly.

   Convince me that I am wrong, and I will recant.

   • (Can we date this quote?) John Milton

     How soon […] ease would recant / Vows made in pain, as violent and void!

• abjure, disavow, disown, recall, retract, revoke, take back, unsay, withcall; See also Thesaurus:recant

• recantation
• recanter

• contradict
• recall
• revoke

• recant in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• recant in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• recant at OneLook Dictionary Search

• Canter, Cretan, canter, carnet, centra, creant, nectar, tanrec, trance