Hypertext Webster Gateway: "recusant"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Recusant \Re*cu"sant\, n.
1. One who is obstinate in refusal; one standing out
stubbornly against general practice or opinion.
The last rebellious recusants among the European
family of nations. --De Quincey.
2. (Eng. Hist.) A person who refuses to acknowledge the
supremacy of the king in matters of religion; as, a Roman
Catholic recusant, who acknowledges the supremacy of the
pope. --Brande & C.
3. One who refuses communion with the Church of England; a
nonconformist.
All that are recusants of holy rites. --Holyday.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Recusant \Re*cu"sant\ (-zat; 277), a.[L. recusans, -antis, p.
pr. of recure to refuse, to oject to; pref. re- re + causa a
cause, pretext: cf. F. r['e]cusant. See {Cause}, and cf.
{Ruse}.]
Obstinate in refusal; specifically, in English history,
refusing to acknowledge the supremacy of the king in the
churc, or to conform to the established rites of the church;
as, a recusant lord.
It stated him to have placed his son in the household
of the Countess of Derby, a recusant papist. --Sir W.
Scott.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
recusant
adj 1: (of Catholics formerly) refusing to attend services of the
Church of England [syn: {dissentient}]
2: refusing to submit to authority; "the recusant
electors...cooperated in electing a new Senate"- Mary
W.Williams
n : someone who refuses to conform to established standards of
conduct [syn: {nonconformist}] [ant: {conformist}]
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