Definition of 'refuse'

Word Frequency

refuse

Word forms: 3rd person singular present tense refuses , present participle refusing , past tense, past participle refused pronunciation note: The verb is pronounced (rɪfjuːz ). The noun is pronounced (refjuːs ) and is hyphenated ref|use.

1. verb

If you refuse to do something, you deliberately do not do it, or you say firmly that you will not do it.

He refused to comment after the trial. [VERB to-infinitive]

He expects me to stay on here and I can hardly refuse. [VERB]

2. verb

If someone refuses you something, they do not give it to you or do not allow you to have it.

The United States has refused him a visa. [VERB noun noun]

She was refused access to her children. [VERB noun noun]

The town council had refused permission for the march. [VERB noun]

Synonyms: deny, decline, withhold, not grant More Synonyms of refuse

3. verb

If you refuse something that is offered to you, you do not accept it.

He offered me a second drink which I refused. [VERB noun]

The patient has the right to refuse treatment. [VERB noun]

4. uncountable noun

Refuse consists of the rubbish and all the things that are not wanted in a house, shop, or factory, and that are regularly thrown away; used mainly in official language.

The District Council made a weekly collection of refuse.

Synonyms: rubbish, waste, sweepings, junk [informal] More Synonyms of refuse

More Synonyms of refuse

Video: pronunciation of
refuse

refuse in British English 1

(rɪˈfjuːz )

verb

1. (transitive)

to decline to accept (something offered)

to refuse a present

to refuse promotion

to decline to give or grant (something) to (a person, organization, etc)

3. (when tr, takes an infinitive)

to express determination not (to do something); decline

I refuse to talk about it

(of a horse) to be unwilling to take (a jump), as by swerving or stopping

5. (transitive)

(of a woman) to declare one's unwillingness to accept (a suitor) as a husband

Derived forms

refusable (reˈfusable)

adjective

refuser (reˈfuser)

noun

Word origin

C14: from Old French refuser, from Latin refundere to pour back; see refund

Word Frequency

refuse in British English 2

(ˈrɛfjuːs )

noun

anything thrown away; waste; rubbish

(as modifier)

a refuse collection

Word origin

C15: from Old French refuser to refuse1

Word Frequency

refuse in American English 1

(rɪˈfjuz )

verb transitiveWord forms: reˈfused or reˈfusing

to decline to accept; reject

to decline to do, give, or grant

to decline

with an infinitive object

to refuse to go

to decline to accept or submit to (a command, etc.); decline to undergo

to decline to grant the request of (a person)

to stop short at (a fence, etc.), without jumping it

said of a horse

5. Obsolete

to renounce

verb intransitive

to decline to accept, agree to, or do something

SIMILAR WORDS: deˈcline

Derived forms

refuser (reˈfuser)

noun

Word origin

ME refusen < OFr refuser < LL *refusare < L refusus, pp. of refundere: see refund1

Word Frequency

refuse in American English 2

(ˈrɛfjus ; ˈrɛfjuz )

noun

anything thrown away or rejected as worthless or useless; waste; trash; rubbish

adjective

thrown away or rejected as worthless or useless

Word origin

ME < OFr refus, pp. of refuser: see refuse1

Examples of 'refuse' in a sentence
refuse

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content.Read more…

The single mum refused to comment last night.You refused to accept this and asked the adjudicator to seek and consider further evidence.Those whose countries refuse to take them back may also be detained without trial.Refusing to allow the others to draw you back into their dramas.The government has refused to give any details about the test or say why it failed.It suggested that our bank was refusing to accept the money.One garage had to refuse to take back any more.He said:'There is very little refuse collection and recycling in many areas and rubbish just ends up getting washed into the river.Last night the surgery refused to comment.The council refused his application for housing as a homeless person.