I. rə̇ˈpəls, rēˈp- also -lts transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Latin repulsus, past participle of repellere to repel — more at repel
1. : to drive or beat back (as an assault or an enemy) : repel usually by force of arms
police charging the plant gates were repulsed at every attempt — American Guide Series: Michigan
repulsed an Indian attack here — American Guide Series: Tennessee
2. : to repel by discourtesy, coldness, or denial : rebuff , refuse , reject
repulsed every attempt … at conversation — Jane Austen
she had learned to … repulse advances that were disagreeable — Ellen Glasgow
repudiate and repulse any suggestion that we are making a questionable compromise — Sir Winston Churchill
3. : to cause a feeling of repulsion in : disgust
repulsed by the sight of … green flies feeding upon the putrefying flesh of a crocodile — Bernice Matlowsky
repulsed by his own weakness — Carson McCullers
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: in sense 1, from Latin repulsa, from feminine of repulsus, past participle of repellere; in other senses, from Latin repulsus action of driving back, from repulsus, past participle of repellere
1. : refusal of a request or suit : denial , rebuff , rejection
court repulse from her husband — Thomas Hardy
reap nothing but repulse and hate — John Milton
2. : the action of repelling (as an assailant or a hostile force) or the fact of being repelled in hostile encounter
3. archaic : the action of forcing or driving back : the state of being forced or driven back — opposed to impulse
what a most powerful suction that repulse will create — George Semple