refuse
1re·fuse
verb \ri-ˈfyüz\re·fusedre·fus·ing
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
Examples of REFUSE
- When they offered me the money, I couldn't refuse.
- They asked her to help but she refused.
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
First Known Use: 14th century
Related to REFUSE
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
2ref·use
noun \ˈre-ˌfyüs, -ˌfyüz\Definition of REFUSE
1
: the worthless or useless part of something : leavings
Examples of REFUSE
- <refuse had littered the playground until our volunteer group cleaned it up>
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
3ref·use
adjective \ˈre-ˌfyüs, -ˌfyüz\Definition of REFUSE
: thrown aside or left as worthless
First Known Use of REFUSE
15th century
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