refuse
[verb]
Synonyms: reject, decline, deny, say no, spurn, turn down, withhold
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[noun]
Synonyms: rubbish, garbage, junk (informal), litter, trash, waste

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Related Words: dump, dustheap, rejectamenta, scraps, lumber, offscouring(s)

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English Thesaurus: refuse, say no, turn somebody/something down, reject, decline, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. re‧fuse¹ S2 W1 /rɪˈfjuːz/ verb
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: refuser, from Latin refundere 'to pour back']

1. [intransitive] to say firmly that you will not do something that someone has asked you to do:
She asked him to leave, but he refused.
refuse to do something
I absolutely refuse to take part in anything illegal.
flatly refuse/refuse point-blank (to do something) (=refuse immediately and directly without giving a reason)
Mom flatly refused to go back into the hospital.
When he offered all that money, I could hardly refuse (=could not refuse), could I?

2. [intransitive and transitive] to say no to something that you have been offered Synonym : turn down:
She refused a second piece of cake.
The offer seemed too good to refuse.

3. [transitive] to not give or allow someone something that they want, especially when they have asked for it officially
refuse somebody something
She was refused a work permit.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. ref‧use² /ˈrefjuːs/ noun [uncountable] formal
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: refus, from refuser; ⇒ refuse¹]
waste material that has been thrown away Synonym : rubbish British English, trash, garbage American English:
a refuse dump
household/domestic refuse
refuse collection

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

refuse
noun
ADJ. domestic, household | uncollected
QUANT. heap, mound, pile
VERB + REFUSE dump People dump their refuse in the surrounding woods instead of taking it to the tip.
collect What day do they collect the refuse?
recycle
REFUSE + NOUN collection, disposal | bin | dump

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

refuse
verb
ADV. adamantly, obstinately, resolutely, steadfastly, stoutly, stubbornly | categorically, flatly, point-blank, simply Gerard refused point-blank to co-operate.
pointedly The demand for an apology was pointedly refused.
politely | consistently
VERB + REFUSE can't/couldn't, can/could hardly They made me an offer I couldn't refuse.
be entitled to, have the right to Workers should be entitled to refuse to work under these conditions.
be/seem churlish to She offered them cups of tea and it seemed churlish to refuse.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

refuse

stubbornly refuse
He stubbornly refused to pay the fine.
adamantly refuse formal (=in a determined way)
They are still adamantly refusing to release the data to the general public.
steadfastly refuse (=refuse, and continue to refuse)
She steadfastly refused to marry him.
consistently refuse
Politicians have consistently refused to listen to us.
flatly refuse (=in a firm and definite way)
He flatly refused to tell me anything.
simply refuse (=used for emphasis)
Some children simply refuse to do what they’re told.
refuse point-blank (=directly and without explanation)
I refused point-blank to let him in.
somebody can hardly refuse (=it would be unreasonable or very difficult to refuse)
Going out was the last thing I wanted to do, but I could hardly refuse.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

refuse
verb
1.
BAD: He refused their lifestyle and decided to seek a simpler alternative.
GOOD: He rejected their lifestyle and decided to seek a simpler alternative.
BAD: I refuse the idea that men and women are psychologically different.
GOOD: I reject the idea that men and women are psychologically different.

Usage Note:
refuse = say no (when someone wants you to do or accept something): 'Some of the staff refuse to attend lunchtime meetings.' 'We can't possibly refuse the invitation.' 'Simon had to refuse the job offer because it would have meant moving house again.'
reject = say that you do not support (an idea, belief, suggestion, plan, proposal, etc): 'Vegetarians reject the theory that you must eat meat to get all the nutrients you need.' 'The belief that a woman's place is in the home has been widely rejected.'

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2.
BAD: He felt refused by the man he admired most.
GOOD: He felt rejected by the man he admired most.

Usage Note:
If someone makes you feel that you are no longer loved, needed etc, they reject you (and you feel rejected ): 'It's terrible to feel rejected by someone you care for.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

refuse to say firmly that you will not do something that someone has asked you to do:
I asked the bank for a loan, but they refused.
When they refused to leave, we had to call the police.
say no spoken to say that you will not do something when someone asks you:
They asked me so nicely that I couldn’t really say no.
turn somebody/something down to refuse to accept an offer or invitation, or a formal request:
They offered me the job but I turned it down.
The board turned down a request for $25,000 to sponsor an art exhibition.
I’ve already been turned down by three colleges.
reject to refuse to accept an idea, offer, suggestion, or plan:
They rejected the idea because it would cost too much money.
The Senate rejected a proposal to limit the program to two years.
decline formal to politely refuse to accept an offer or invitation, or refuse to do something:
She has declined all offers of help.
A palace spokesman declined to comment on the rumours.
deny to refuse to allow someone to do something or enter somewhere:
They were denied permission to publish the book.
He was denied access to the US.
veto to officially refuse to allow a law or plan, or to refuse to accept someone’s suggestion:
Congress vetoed the bill.
The suggestion was quickly vetoed by the other members of the team.
disallow to officially refuse to accept something because someone has broken the rules, or not done it in the correct way:
The goal was disallowed by the referee.
The court decided to disallow his evidence.
rebuff formal to refuse to accept someone’s offer, request, or suggestion:
The company raised its offer to $6 billion, but was rebuffed.
He was politely rebuffed when he suggested holding the show in Dublin.
give somebody/something the thumbs down informal to refuse to allow or accept a plan or suggestion:
The plan was given the thumbs down by the local authority.
They gave us the thumbs down.
rubbish especially British English things that people throw away, such as old food, dirty paper etc:
People are being encouraged to recycle their household rubbish.
the rubbish bin
garbage/trash American English rubbish:
The garbage is collected every Tuesday.
There were piles of trash in the backyard.
a black plastic garbage bag
litter empty bottles, pieces of paper etc that people have dropped on the ground:
Parents should teach children not to drop litter.
There was a lot of litter on the beach.
waste rubbish, or materials that need to be dealt with after they have been used in industrial processes:
nuclear waste
toxic waste
household waste
The company was fined for dumping toxic waste in the sea.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

rubbish especially British English things that people throw away, such as old food, dirty paper etc:
People are being encouraged to recycle their household rubbish.
the rubbish bin
garbage/trash American English rubbish:
The garbage is collected every Tuesday.
There were piles of trash in the backyard.
a black plastic garbage bag
refuse formal rubbish:
The strike has disrupted refuse collection.
It’s a site which is used for domestic refuse.
litter empty bottles, pieces of paper etc that people have dropped on the ground:
Parents should teach children not to drop litter.
There was a lot of litter on the beach.
waste rubbish, or materials that need to be dealt with after they have been used in industrial processes:
nuclear waste
toxic waste
household waste
The company was fined for dumping toxic waste in the sea.
destroy to damage something so badly that it no longer exists or cannot be used or repaired:
The earthquake almost completely destroyed the city.
The twin towers were destroyed in a terrorist attack.
devastate to damage a large area very badly and destroy many things in it:
Allied bombings in 1943 devastated the city.
The country’s economy has been devastated by years of fighting.
demolish to completely destroy a building, either deliberately or by accident:
The original 15th century house was demolished in Victorian times.
The plane crashed into a suburb of Paris, demolishing several buildings.
flatten to destroy a building or town by knocking it down, bombing it etc, so that nothing is left standing:
The town centre was flattened by a 500 lb bomb.
wreck to deliberately damage something very badly, especially a room or building:
The toilets had been wrecked by vandals.
They just wrecked the place.
trash informal to deliberately destroy a lot of the things in a room, house etc:
Apparently, he trashed his hotel room while on drugs.
obliterate formal to destroy a place so completely that nothing remains:
The nuclear blast obliterated most of Hiroshima.
reduce something to ruins/rubble/ashes to destroy a building or town completely:
The town was reduced to rubble in the First World War.
ruin to spoil something completely, so that it cannot be used or enjoyed:
Fungus may ruin the crop.
The new houses will ruin the view.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲