rə̇ˈpel, rēˈp- verb
( repelled ; repelled ; repelling ; repels )
Etymology: Middle English repellen, from Latin repellere, from re- + pellere to drive — more at felt
transitive verb
1.
a. : to drive back : beat off : repulse
repel the enemy
execute the laws of the Union, suppress insurrections, and repel invasions — U.S. Constitution
repel onslaughts by starveling barbarians — V.G.Childe
b. : to fight against : resist
cannot claim the assistance of the law in repelling the trade competition of rivals — C.A.Cooke
c. : to keep in check : repress
repel the temptation to take the easy way out
d. : to reverse the advance or movement of
the rocks repel the waves
2. : to turn away : refuse to receive or credit : reject
repelled the suggestion when it was made to him and opposed it wherever he decently could — J.C.Fitzpatrick
repelled the insinuation
3.
a. : to drive away : discourage
foul words and frowns must not repel a lover — Shakespeare
concerned about the effect his actions will have in attracting or repelling votes — E.N.Griswold
b. : to be incapable of adhering to, mixing with, taking up, or holding
a fabric that repels moisture
oil repels water
c. : to force away or apart or tend to do so by mutual action at a distance
two like electric charges repel one another
4. : to cause aversion in : disgust
a tendency toward suspicion and sarcasm that repelled people — W.A.Swanberg
their cold intelligence, their stereotyped, unremitting industry repel me — L.P.Smith
intransitive verb
: to cause aversion : exercise repulsion
so malodorous as to be more calculated to repel than to invite — Irish Digest
when a picture of little merit attracts or a recognized masterpiece repels — C.W.H.Johnson