refuseverb [ I or T ]
uk/rɪˈfjuːz/us/rɪˈfjuːz/B1 to say that you will not do or accept something:
He asked me to give him another loan, but I refused.
He's in trouble but he's refused all (my offers of) help.
[ + to infinitive ] On cold mornings the car always refuses to start.
[ + two objects ] The local council refused him planning permission to build an extra bedroom.
More examples
- They invited me to dinner and I thought it would be churlish to refuse.
- The management reserve the right to refuse entrance.
- She's a strict vegetarian and refuses to eat any poultry or fish.
- The managing director refused to divulge how much she earned.
- He refused to say anything on the grounds that he might incriminate himself.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Refusing & rejecting
- abnegate
- blow
- bugger
- damned
- demur
- derecognize
- disclaim
- door
- override
- react against sth
- refusal
- shoot
- shun
- sit
- sit sth out
- throw
- throw sth out
- turn sb away
- vote sth down
- wash
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refusenoun [ U ]
uk/ˈref.juːs/us/ˈref.juːs/formalunwanted waste material, especially material that is regularly thrown away from a house, factory, etc.:
garden/kitchen refuse
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Rubbish and waste
- debris
- detritus
- dross
- effluent
- flotsam
- jetsam
- jumble
- junk
- kitsch
- litter
- recycle
- rubbish
- rubble
- scrap
- scrap heap
- spoil
- tat
- upcycle
- upcycling
- waste product
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