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| re·fuse [ ri fyz ] (past and past participle re·fused, present participle re·fus·ing, 3rd person present singular re·fus·es) |
verb |
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| Definition: |
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1. transitive and intransitive verb indicate unwillingness: to declare a decision or intention not to do something
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2. transitive verb not accept something: to decline to accept something offered
  refused the promotion
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3. transitive verb deny something: to be unwilling to give, allow, or agree to something asked for by somebody
I refused them the use of my tools.
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4. transitive and intransitive verb riding balk at jump: to stop and not jump over an obstacle
(
refers to horses
)
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| [14th century. Via Old French refuser< assumed Vulgar Latin refusare, perhaps blend of Latin recusare "to refuse" + refutare "to repel"] |
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| re·fus·a·ble adjective |
| re·fus·er noun |
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