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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

2 entries under this word

Rebut

Re-būt', v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. REBUTTED; p. pr. & vb. n. REBUTTING.] [Fr. rebuter, Pr. rebotar, It. ributtare, from re and O. Fr. boter, buter, bouter, Pr. botar, It. buttare, to push, thrust. See BUTT and BOUTADE.]

Sense 1. To drive back; to rebuff; to repel by force.

Who, rencontering fierce as hawk in flight, Perforce rebutted back. Spenser.

Sense 2. (Law.) To oppose by argument, plea, or countervailing proof.

Re-būt', v. i.

verbintransitive
  1. To retire. [Obs.] Spenser.
  2. (Law.) To make an answer, as to a plaintiff's surrejoinder.

The plaintiff may answer the rejoinder by a surrejoinder; on which the defendant may rebut. Blackstone.