Library / English Dictionary

REFUSE

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Food that is discarded (as from a kitchen)

Synonyms:

food waste; garbage; refuse; scraps

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("refuse" is a kind of...):

waste; waste material; waste matter; waste product (any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Show unwillingness towards

Example:

he declined to join the group on a hike

Synonyms:

decline; refuse

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "refuse" is one way to...):

react; respond (show a response or a reaction to something)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "refuse"):

disdain; freeze off; pooh-pooh; reject; scorn; spurn; turn down (reject with contempt)

contract out (refuse to pay a levy to a union for political use)

regret (decline formally or politely)

repudiate (refuse to recognize or pay)

disobey (refuse to go along with; refuse to follow; be disobedient)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE

Sentence example:

They refuse to move

Antonym:

accept (give an affirmative reply to; respond favorably to)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Refuse to let have

Example:

he denies her her weekly allowance

Synonyms:

deny; refuse

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "refuse" is one way to...):

hold on; keep (retain possession of)

Verb group:

abnegate; deny (deny oneself (something); restrain, especially from indulging in some pleasure)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "refuse"):

keep back; withhold (hold back; refuse to hand over or share)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody something

Sentence example:

They refuse them the money

Derivation:

refusal (the act of refusing)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Refuse to accept

Example:

He refused my offer of hospitality

Synonyms:

decline; pass up; refuse; reject; turn down

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Verb group:

disdain; freeze off; pooh-pooh; reject; scorn; spurn; turn down (reject with contempt)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "refuse"):

dishonor; dishonour (refuse to accept)

bounce (refuse to accept and send back)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something from somebody

Sentence example:

They refuse the money

Antonym:

accept (receive willingly something given or offered)

Derivation:

refusal (a message refusing to accept something that is offered)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Refuse entrance or membership

Example:

Black people were often rejected by country clubs

Synonyms:

refuse; reject; turn away; turn down

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Verb group:

disdain; freeze off; pooh-pooh; reject; scorn; spurn; turn down (reject with contempt)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

refusal (the act of refusing)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Elude, especially in a baffling way

Example:

This behavior defies explanation

Synonyms:

defy; refuse; resist

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "refuse" is one way to...):

elude; escape (be incomprehensible to; escape understanding by)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "refuse"):

beggar (be beyond the resources of)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Sense 6

Meaning:

Resist immunologically the introduction of some foreign tissue or organ

Example:

His body rejected the liver of the donor

Synonyms:

refuse; reject; resist

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "refuse" is one way to...):

react; respond (show a response or a reaction to something)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Credits

 Context examples: 

She offered a piece to the Scarecrow, but he refused.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

But you would not advise me to refuse?

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

You cannot refuse to dance, I am sure when so much beauty is before you.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

You can imagine, Mr. Holmes, that I was not in a humour to refuse him anything that he might ask.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Maud, who refused to stay alone ashore, slept in the forecastle.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

If I am refused, the responsibility does not rest with me.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

He was very weary, but it refused to die.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

But White Fang refused to growl.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

She had not the heart to refuse her splendid, successful boy anything, and answered warmly...

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Patient rights: Do you have the right to refuse treatment?

(Medical Ethics, NIH)