The word for today is…

repudiate (verb):

1a : to refuse to accept, especially to reject as unauthorized or as having no binding force: repudiate a contract repudiate a will
b : to reject as untrue or unjust
2 : to refuse to acknowledge or pay – repudiate a debt
3 : to refuse to have anything to do with
4 dated : to divorce or separate formally from (a woman to whom one is betrothed or married)

Source : Merriam -Webster

Etymology : In Latin, the noun repudium refers to the rejection of a spouse or prospective spouse, and the related verb repudiare means “to divorce” or “to reject.” In the 16th century, English speakers borrowed repudiare to create the English verb repudiate, which they used as a synonym of divorce when in reference to a wife and as a synonym of disown when in reference to a member of one’s family. They also used the word more generally in the sense of “to reject or cast off.” By the 18th century repudiate had also come to be used for the rejection of things that one does not accept as true or just, ranging from opinions and accusations to contracts and debts.

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David is a retired surgeon originally from London who came to New Zealand twenty-seven years ago after being delayed in Singapore for thirteen years on leaving the UK. He was coerced into studying Latin...