-zəl noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English refusell, from refusen to refuse + -ell, -aille -al
1. : the act of refusing or denying : rejection of something demanded, solicited, or offered for acceptance
refusal to answer questions
her refusal of all marriage proposals
the horse was disqualified by his refusal at the first fence
2. : the opportunity or right of refusing or taking before others : the choice of refusing or taking (as a purchase)
promised to give him the first refusal of my house
3. obsolete : one that has been refused or rejected
4.
a. : stoppage of a driven bolt or pile because of resistance greater than the driving force
b. : the point of such stoppage
c. : the distance a pile sinks under a single blow
d. : the total distance a pile sinks under a volley of blows