refuse
Pronunciation
  • enPR: rĕfʹyo͞os, IPA: /ˈɹɛfjuːs/
Adjective

refuse

  1. Discarded, rejected.
Noun

refuse (uncountable)

  1. Collectively, items or material that have been discarded; rubbish, garbage.
Synonyms Translations Pronunciation
  • enPR: rĭfyo͞ozʹ, IPA: /ɹɪˈfjuːz/
Verb

refuse (refuses, present participle refusing; past and past participle refused)

  1. (transitive) To decline (a request or demand).
    My request for a pay rise was refused.
  2. (intransitive) To decline a request or demand, forbear; to withhold permission.
    I refuse to listen to this nonsense any more.
    I asked the star if I could have her autograph, but she refused.
    • Bible, Isa. i. 20
      If ye refuse […] ye shall be devoured with the sword.
  3. (military) To throw back, or cause to keep back (as the centre, a wing, or a flank), out of the regular alignment when troops are about to engage the enemy.
    to refuse the right wing while the left wing attacks
  4. (obsolete, transitive) To disown.
    • c. 1591–1595, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act II, scene ii]:
      Refuse thy name.
Synonyms Translations Translations
  • French: refuser
  • German: sich weigern
  • Portuguese: recusar
  • Russian: отка́зываться
Noun

refuse

  1. (obsolete) refusal
Pronunciation
  • enPR: rēfyo͞ozʹ, IPA: /ɹiːˈfjuːz/
Verb

refuse (refuses, present participle refusing; past and past participle refused)

  1. To melt again.
Related terms


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