First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
1refuse
verb re·fuse \ri-ˈfyüz\
: to say that you will not accept (something, such as a gift or offer)
: to say or show that you are not willing to do something that someone wants you to do
: to not allow someone to have (something)
re·fusedre·fus·ing
Full Definition of REFUSE
transitive verb
1
: to express oneself as unwilling to accept <refuse a gift> <refuse a promotion>
2
a : to show or express unwillingness to do or comply with <refused to answer the question> b : deny <they were refused admittance to the game>
4
of a horse : to decline to jump or leap over
intransitive verb
: to withhold acceptance, compliance, or permission
— re·fus·er noun
See refuse defined for English-language learners
See refuse defined for kids
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Origin of REFUSE
Middle English, from Anglo-French refuser, from Vulgar Latin *refusare, perhaps blend of Latin refutare to refute and recusare to demur — more at recuse
Related to REFUSE
Synonym Discussion of REFUSE
decline, refuse, reject, repudiate, spurn mean to turn away by not accepting, receiving, or considering. decline often implies courteous refusal especially of offers or invitations <declined his party's nomination>. refuse suggests more positiveness or ungraciousness and often implies the denial of something asked for <refused to lend them the money>. reject implies a peremptory refusal by sending away or discarding <rejected the manuscript as unpublishable>. repudiate implies a casting off or disowning as untrue, unauthorized, or unworthy of acceptance <teenagers who repudiate the values of their parents>. spurn stresses contempt or disdain in rejection or repudiation <spurned his overtures of friendship>.
Rhymes with REFUSE
abuse, accuse, amuse, Andrews, bad news, bemuse, berceuse, chanteuse, charmeuse, chartreuse, coiffeuse, confuse, contuse, danseuse, defuse, diffuse, diseuse, disuse, effuse, enthuse, excuse, ill-use, incuse, infuse, masseuse, misuse, perfuse, peruse, recluse, recuse, reuse, short fuse, suffuse, Toulouse, transfuse, vendeuse
2refuse
noun ref·use \ˈre-ˌfyüs, -ˌfyüz\
: something (such as paper or food waste) that has been thrown away : trash or garbage
Full Definition of REFUSE
1
: the worthless or useless part of something : leavings
See refuse defined for English-language learners
Origin of REFUSE
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from refuser
First Known Use: 14th century
Related to REFUSE
Rhymes with REFUSE
Aarhus, abstruse, abuse, adduce, Atreus, blue spruce, burnoose, caboose, Cayuse, Cepheus, ceruse, charmeuse, chartreuse, Chartreuse, conduce, couscous, cut loose, deduce, diffuse, disuse, educe, effuse, excuse, fair use, footloose, hang loose, induce, Lanús, misuse, mongoose, Morpheus, negus, obtuse, Orpheus, papoose, Peleus, Perseus, prepuce, produce, profuse, Proteus, Purus, recluse, red spruce, reduce, retuse, reuse, Sanctus, seduce, slip noose, snow goose, Tereus, Theseus, traduce, transduce, turn loose, unloose, vamoose
3refuse
adjective ref·use \ˈre-ˌfyüs, -ˌfyüz\
Definition of REFUSE
: thrown aside or left as worthless
First Known Use of REFUSE
15th century
REFUSED Defined for Kids
1refuse
verb re·fuse \ri-ˈfyüz\
re·fusedre·fus·ing
Definition of REFUSE for Kids
1
: to express unwillingness to accept : turn down (something) <I refused the job.>
2
: to express or show unwillingness to do, give, or allow something <They refused to help.>
2refuse
noun ref·use \ˈre-ˌfyüs\
Learn More About REFUSE
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