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Webster 1913 Edition

Refuse

Re-fuse′

(r?-f?z′)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Refused
(-f?zd′)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Refusing
.]
[F.
refuser
, either from (assumed) LL.
refusare
to refuse, v. freq. of L.
refundere
to pour back, give back, restore (see
Refund
to repay), or. fr. L.
recusare
to decline, refuse cf.
Accuse
,
Ruse
), influenced by L.
refutare
to drive back, repel, refute. Cf.
Refute
.]
1.
To deny, as a request, demand, invitation, or command; to decline to do or grant.
That never yet
refused
your hest.
Chaucer.
2.
(Mil.)
To throw back, or cause to keep back (as the center, a wing, or a flank), out of the regular aligment when troops ar[GREEK] about to engage the enemy;
as, to
refuse
the right wing while the left wing attacks
.
3.
To decline to accept; to reject; to deny the request or petition of;
as, to
refuse
a suitor
.
The cunning workman never doth
refuse

The meanest tool that he may chance to use.
Herbert.
4.
To disown.
[Obs.]
“Refuse thy name.”
Shak.

Re-fuse′

,
Verb.
I.
To deny compliance; not to comply.
Too proud to ask, too humble to
refuse
.
Garth.
If ye
refuse
. . . ye shall be devoured with the sword.
Isa. i. 20.

Re-fuse′

,
Noun.
Refusal.
[Obs.]
Fairfax.

Refˊuse

(r?f′?s;277)
,
Noun.
[F.
refus
refusal, also, that which is refused. See
Refuse
to deny.]
That which is refused or rejected as useless; waste or worthless matter.
Syn. – Dregs; sediment; scum; recrement; dross.

Ref′use

,
Adj.
Refused; rejected; hence; left as unworthy of acceptance; of no value; worthless.
Everything that was vile and
refuse
, that they destroyed utterly.
1. Sam. xv. 9.

Webster 1828 Edition

Refuse

REFU'SE

,
Verb.
T.
s as z. [L. recuso; re and the root of causor, to accuse; causa, cause. The primary sense of causor is to drive, to throw or thrust at, and recuso is to drive back, to repel or repulse, the sense of refuse.]
1.
To deny a request, demand, invitation or command; to decline to do or grant what is solicited, claimed or commanded.
Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border. Num. 20.
2.
To decline to accept what is offered; as, to refuse an office; to refuse an offer.
If they refuse to take the cup at thy hand - Jer. 25.
3.
To reject; as, to refuse instruction or reproof.
Prov. 10.
The stone which the builders refused is become the head of the corner. Ps. 118.
[Note - Refuse expenses rejection more strongly than decline.]

REFU'SE

,
Verb.
I.
s as z. To decline to accept; not to comply.
Too proud to ask, to humble too refuse.

Definition 2025

refuse

refuse

See also: refusé and re-fuse

English

Pronunciation

  • enPR: rĕfʹyo͞os, IPA(key): /ˈɹɛfjuːs/

Adjective

refuse ‎(comparative more refuse, superlative most refuse)

  1. Discarded, rejected.

Noun

refuse ‎(uncountable)

  1. (Britain) Collectively, items or material that have been discarded; rubbish, garbage.
Synonyms
Translations

Etymology 2

From Old French refuser, from Vulgar Latin *refusare, a blend of Classical Latin refutō and recusō.

Pronunciation

  • enPR: rĭfyo͞ozʹ, IPA(key): /ɹɪˈfjuːz/
  • Rhymes: -uːz

Verb

refuse ‎(third-person singular simple present refuses, present participle refusing, simple 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.
    • 2011 September 27, Alistair Magowan, “Bayern Munich 2 - 0 Man City”, in BBC Sport:
      City were outclassed thereafter and Roberto Mancini said that substitute Carlos Tevez refused to play.
  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.
    • Shakespeare
      Refuse thy name.
Usage notes
  • This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive. See Appendix:English catenative verbs
Synonyms
Translations

Noun

refuse

  1. (obsolete) refusal
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Fairfax to this entry?)

French

Verb

refuse

  1. first-person singular present indicative of refuser
  2. third-person singular present indicative of refuser
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of refuser
  4. third-person singular present subjunctive of refuser
  5. second-person singular imperative of refuser

Anagrams

Latin

Participle

refūse

  1. vocative masculine singular of refūsus

References

Etymology

From Middle French refusé, past participle of refuser ‎(“to refuse”).

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