Refusal by daughter or silent assent? (3)
I believe the answer is:
nod
'silent assent?' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'refusal by daughter' is the wordplay.
'refusal' becomes 'no'.
'by' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'daughter' becomes 'd' (genealogical abbreviation).
'no'+'d'='NOD'
'or' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for nod that I've seen before include "Indicate assent or recognition" , "even Homer sometimes does" , "Acknowledge by gesture" , "Drowse" , "Signify assent" .)