I. re·fuse rə̇ˈfyüz, rēˈf- verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English refusen, from Middle French refuser, from Old French, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin refusare, from Latin refusus, past participle of refundere to pour back, give or put back — more at refund
transitive verb
1. obsolete : avoid , shun
2. : to decline to accept : reject
refuse an office
refuse a gift
refuse advice
specifically : to decline to have as husband
3.
a. : to show or express a positive unwillingness to do or comply with (as something asked, demanded, expected) — used with a following infinitive
refused to answer the question
motor refused to start
b. : deny
refused to give his permission
has never refused his help before
was refused entrance at the club door
4. obsolete : to give up : renounce
still refuse this world, to do their Father's will — John Bunyan
deny thy father and refuse thy name — Shakespeare
5. of a horse : to decline to jump or leap over (as a fence or ditch)
6. : to fail to follow with a card from (the suit led) because of not having one
7. : to bend back or keep back (as the flank of one's defensive position)
intransitive verb
1. : to withhold acceptance, compliance, or permission
that the King had offered him the Garter, but that he had asked permission to refuse — Valentine Heywood
2. of a horse : to decline to jump
3. : to fail to follow suit in a card game
Synonyms: see decline
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- refuse stays
II. refuse noun
( -s )
dialect chiefly England : refusal
III. ref·use ˈreˌfyüs, -üz noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French refus refusal, rejection, from Old French, from refuser to refuse
1. : the worthless or useless part of something : leavings, dregs, dross
refuse from silver mining
sugar cane refuse
propertyless gentlemen … have to be content nowadays with the refuse of middle class employment — G.B.Shaw
2. : rubbish , trash , garbage
Synonyms:
waste , rubbish , trash , debris , garbage , offal : refuse applies to any matter or materials rejected as useless and fit only to be thrown out or away
there was a huge stinking heap of week-old refuse … old clothes, sad boots with calloused heels, and hats that were just misshapen basins of felt; old books and magazines, stained with tea leaves and the sodden heterogeneous mass of household garbage — Ruth Park
waste is also comprehensive; it may indicate that unused or rejected in one operation but possible for use in another capacity or under different circumstances
mechanics using cotton waste to clean their hands
waste in lumbering, the parts of trees that could be used but are not
barnyard wastes
tea waste — slack bushes, waste leaf, and crushed sugarcane leaf and pulp — Eve Langley
rubbish now is likely to indicate a heterogeneous accumulation of worn-out, used-up, broken, rejected, or worthless materials or things
rubbish. This material includes the household and business wastes that are not classified as garbage or ashes. It includes paper, rags, excelsior and other packing, wood, glass, crockery, and metals — V.M.Ehlers & E.W.Steel
trash in general use has about the same suggestion as rubbish; it may refer to a somewhat lighter welter of discarded material and may be less likely to suggest separate objects and more likely to suggest a crumpled mass
cleaning the old newspapers, rags, tin cans and other trash out of the cellar
debris is likely to indicate broken fragments of bricks, rocks, walls, or buildings
cleaning up the debris after the fire
the debris left after mining operations
garbage now usually indicates animal or vegetable refuse from the processes of shipping, preparing, and serving food
egg shells, orange peels, coffee grounds and the rest of the garbage after breakfast
offal may refer to anything cut off or allowed to fall off in processing (as animal entrails or feet or fish heads or chicken heads); it may suggest the offensive but does not always do so, since such meat offal as hearts and livers may be sought for eating
“ Offal! ” she gasped. “Take that carrion out” — Kenneth Roberts
IV. refuse adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from refuse, n.
: thrown aside or left as worthless or of no value : refused, rejected, worthless , useless
refuse land
refuse wood