refuse
/ri'fju:z/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb:
- To indicate or express unwillingness to do, accept, give, or allow something: To say or show that you will not do, accept, or agree to something.
- To decline to accept or submit to something: To not accept an offer, proposal, or request.
- To withhold acceptance, compliance, or permission: To not grant or allow something that is asked for.
Noun:
- Something discarded as worthless or useless; waste or rubbish: Matter thrown away or rejected as worthless.
Usage
- Verb: The verb "refuse" is typically followed by a noun, a pronoun, or an infinitive verb (to + verb). It is a formal way to say "no."
- She refused the job offer.
- They refuse to answer the question.
- The judge refused his request for bail.
- Noun: The noun "refuse" is an uncountable mass noun referring to waste material.
- The alley was full of household refuse.
- Refuse collection is on Tuesdays.
Advanced Usage
- "Refuse" as a verb can be used in legal or formal contexts to denote a deliberate and firm denial.
- The court refused the appeal.
- In technical contexts (e.g., geology, mining), "refuse" refers to waste material from a process.
- The mining operation produced tons of rock refuse.
Variants and Related Words
- Refusal (n): The act of refusing.
- His refusal to cooperate caused problems.
- Refusable (adj): Capable of being refused. (Rarely used)
- Refuser (n): A person who refuses.
Synonyms
- Verb: Decline, reject, deny, turn down, repudiate.
- Noun: Waste, rubbish, garbage, trash, debris, litter.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Refuse point-blank: To refuse absolutely and without any discussion.
- He refused point-blank to apologize.
- Refuse to budge: To refuse to change one's opinion or position.
- The union refused to budge on the key issue.
Related Idioms
- Refuse to take no for an answer: To be very persistent in trying to get someone to agree to something.
- She wanted him to come to the party and refused to take no for an answer.
- Refuse to dignify something with a response: To refuse to respond to a comment or accusation because you consider it unworthy.
- He refused to dignify the gossip with a response.
Noun
- food that is discarded (as from a kitchen)
Verb
- refuse entrance or membership
- They turned away hundreds of fans
- Black people were often rejected by country clubs
- resist immunologically the introduction of some foreign tissue or organ
- His body rejected the liver of the donor
- refuse to let have
- She denies me every pleasure
- he denies her her weekly allowance
- elude, especially in a baffling way
- This behavior defies explanation
- refuse to accept
- He refused my offer of hospitality
- show unwillingness towards
- he declined to join the group on a hike