Rēf/u-tā'tion, n.

n. [Lat. refutatio, Fr. réfutation, Sp. refutacion, It. rifutazione.] The act or process of refuting or disproving, or the state of being refuted; proof of falsehood or error; the overthrowing of an argument, opinion, testimony, doctrine, or theory, by argument or countervailing proof.

Some of his blunders seem rather to deserve a flogging than a refutation. Macaulay.