Definition of refuse

Definition of refuse from Dictionary.com, the world’s leading online source for English definitions, pronunciations, word origins, idioms, Word of the Day, and more.

refuse

1


[ ri-

fyooz

]


/ rɪˈfyuz /


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See synonyms for:


refuse


/


refused


/


refusing


on Thesaurus.com


verb (used with object),


re·fused,


re·fus·ing.


to decline to accept (something offered):

to refuse an award.


to decline to give; deny (a request, demand, etc.):

to refuse permission.


to express a determination not to (do something):

to refuse to discuss the question.


to decline to submit to.


(of a horse) to decline to leap over (a barrier).


to decline to accept (a suitor) in marriage.



Military

.


to bend or curve back (the flank units of a military force) so that they face generally to the flank rather than the front.



Obsolete

.


to renounce.


verb (used without object),


re·fused,


re·fus·ing.


to decline acceptance, consent, or compliance.

SYNONYMS FOR

refuse


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synonyms

for


refuse

on Thesaurus.com

ANTONYMS FOR

refuse


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antonyms

for


refuse

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Origin of


refuse

1

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English

refusen,

from Middle French

refuser,

Old French ultimately from Latin

refūsus,

past participle of

refundere

“to pour back”; see

refund

1

synonym study for refuse


1

.

Refuse,


decline,


reject,


spurn

all imply nonacceptance of something. To

decline

is milder and more courteous than to

refuse,

which is direct and often emphatic in expressing determination not to accept what is offered or proposed:

to refuse a bribe; to decline an invitation.

To

reject

is even more positive and definite than

refuse

:

to reject a suitor.

To

spurn

is to reject with scorn:

to spurn a bribe.

OTHER WORDS FROM refuse


re·fus·a·ble,


adjective


re·fus·er,


noun


qua·si-re·fused,


adjective


un·re·fus·a·ble,


adjective


un·re·fused,


adjective


un·re·fus·ing,


adjective


Definition for

refuse


(2 of 2)


refuse

2


[

ref

-yoos ]


/ ˈrɛf yus /


noun


something that is discarded as worthless or useless; rubbish; trash; garbage.


adjective


rejected as worthless; discarded:

refuse matter.

Origin of


refuse

2

1325–75; Middle English <Middle French; Old French

refus

denial, rejection, derivative of

refuser

to

refuse

1

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Words related to

refuse

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refuse

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Even old Mrs. Stott had to kill her own poultry for the market though she’d strap him well for refusing.


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Though we cannot do other duties perfectly, we would not be warranted in refusing to perform these.


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British Dictionary definitions for

refuse


(1 of 2)


refuse

1


/ (

rɪˈfjuːz

) /


verb


(tr)


to decline to accept (something offered)



to refuse a present

;

to refuse promotion


to decline to give or grant (something) to (a person, organization, etc)


(

when

tr, takes an infinitive)


to express determination not (to do something); decline


he refuses to talk about it


(of a horse) to be unwilling to take (a jump), as by swerving or stopping


(tr)


(of a woman) to declare one’s unwillingness to accept (a suitor) as a husband

Derived forms of refuse



refusable

,

adjective




refuser

,

noun

Word Origin for

refuse

C14: from Old French

refuser

, from Latin

refundere

to pour back; see

refund


British Dictionary definitions for

refuse


(2 of 2)


refuse

2


/ (

ˈrɛfjuːs

) /


noun


anything thrown away; waste; rubbish


(

as modifier

)


a refuse collection

Word Origin for

refuse

C15: from Old French

refuser

to

refuse


1
Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


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