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refuse

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verb British English pronunciation: refuse /rɪˈfjuːz/ 
Word Forms
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present tense
I/you/we/theyrefuse
he/she/itrefuses
present participlerefusing
past tenserefused
past participlerefused
Other entries for this word
  1. 1
    [intransitive/transitive] to say you will not do something that someone has asked you to do

    Mum asked him to apologize, but he refused.

    refuse to do something:

    How could he refuse to help his own son?

    flatly refuse (=refuse in a firm and sometimes impolite way):

    Senior executives flatly refused to comment as they left the meeting.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of refuse
  2. 2
    [intransitive/transitive] to say that you do not want what someone has offered to you

    It seemed impolite to refuse when she invited me for dinner.

    Alternative therapies are suggested for patients who refuse conventional medical treatment.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of refuse
  3. 3
    [transitive] to not give someone what they ask for, or to not let someone do what they ask to do

    Some landowners refuse permission to use footpaths on their land.

    refuse someone something:

    Judge Mackey refused the defendant the right to appeal.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of refuse

This is the British English definition of refuse. View American English definition of refuse.

Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to American English.

View the pronunciation for refuse.

 

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