abjure, renounce, forswear, recant, retract 这些单词都有“放弃”的意思。
abjure 主要指“声明放弃、郑重放弃、发誓弃绝”某个信仰、行为、事业、主张、国籍等，常作正式用语使用，意味着一种郑重、坚定且最终的拒绝或放弃，通常是经过宣誓而公开作出的。
-
他们被迫发誓放弃自己的学说。
They were compelled to abjure their doctrine. -
那个酒鬼声明结束放荡的生活。
The wine fiend abjured his life of dissipation.
renounce 主要指“声明放弃、宣布放弃”，强调正式声明自己不再保留某项头衔、官阶、国籍、要求、特权、权利等，或为了某个更高的道德目的而摒弃理想、原则、信仰等。（另见：区别辨析 abdicate, renounce, resign）
- 她那混账的前夫终于宣布放弃对家里房子的所有权要求。
Her bastard ex-husband finally renounced his claim to the family house. - 甘地声明放弃使用暴力，并且从未背离过这一思想路线。
Gandhi renounced the use of violence and he had never deviated from that ideological path.
forswear 一般带有伪证或背叛的暗示。
- 该国并未保证禁用化学武器。
The country has not forsworn the use of chemical weapons. - 这名年轻的参议员当时承诺，如果他的对手在总统大选中承诺放弃私人捐助，他也会照做。
The young senator pledged to forswear private money in the general election if his opponent did likewise.
recant 强调撤回或否认所宣称或教导的东西。
- 白宫官员命令威廉斯公开宣布放弃自己的观点。
White House officials ordered Williams to recant.
retract 适用于撤销承诺、提议或指控。
- 他作了假供词，后来又翻供。
He made a false confession which he later retracted. - 他们试图说服我收回我的话。
They tried to persuade me to retract my words.
