http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refute To refute apparently can mean both /prove/ and just /say/ something is untrue. The way I know the word is in the sense of "proving", not just saying. I dare to say that is the way most people would use that word. Giganews only /says/ the allegations are untrue, it doesn't /prove/ that. To me it means poster is correct in stating their is no refuting of the claims, and I guess it's the same for most readers.