Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Refuse"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Refuse \Re*fuse"\ (r?*f?z"), v. 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? 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.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Refuse \Re*fuse"\, v. 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.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Refuse \Re*fuse"\, n.
Refusal. [Obs.] --Fairfax.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Refuse \Ref`use\ (r?f"?s;277), n. [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.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Refuse \Ref"use\, a.
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.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
refuse
n : food that is discarded (as from a kitchen) [syn: {garbage},
{food waste}, {scraps}]
v 1: show unwillingness towards [syn: {decline}] [ant: {accept}]
2: refuse to accept; "He refused my offer of hospitality" [syn:
{reject}, {pass up}, {turn down}, {decline}] [ant: {accept}]
3: elude, esp. in a baffling way; "This behavior defies
explanation" [syn: {defy}, {resist}] [ant: {lend oneself}]
4: refuse to let have; "She denies me every pleasure"; "he
denies her her weekly allowance" [syn: {deny}] [ant: {allow}]
5: refuse entrance or membership; "They turned away hundreds of
fans"; "Black people were often rejected by country clubs"
[syn: {reject}, {turn down}, {turn away}] [ant: {admit}]
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