Mawson, C.O.S., ed. (1870–1938). Roget’s International Thesaurus. 1922.
Class V. Words Releasing to the Voluntary PowersDivision (II) Intersocial Volition
Section II. Special Intersocial Volition
764. Refusal.
NOUN:REFUSAL, rejection; noncompliance, incompliance; denial; declining &c. v.; declension; declinature; peremptory -, flat -, point blank- refusal; repulse, rebuff; discountenance, disapprobation.NEGATION, recusancy, abnegation, protest, disclamation, renunciation, disclaimer; dissent [See Dissent]; revocation [See Abrogation].
VERB:REFUSE, reject, deny, decline; nill [archaic], turn down [slang], abnegate, negate, negative; refuse -, withhold- one’s assent; shake the head; close the -hand, – purse; grudge, begrudge, be slow to, hang fire; pass [at cards].
STAND ALOOF, be deaf to; turn a deaf ear to, turn one’s back upon; set one’s face against, discountenance, not hear of, have nothing to do with, wash one’s hands of, forswear, set aside, cast behind one; not yield an inch (obstinacy) [See Obstinacy].
RESIST, cross; not grant [See Consent]; repel, repulse; shut -, slam- the door in one’s face; rebuff; send -back, – to the right about, – away with a flea in the ear [colloq.]; deny oneself, not be at home to; discard (repudiate) [See Rejection]; rescind (revoke) [See Abrogation]; disclaim, protest; dissent [See Dissent].
ADJECTIVE:REFUSING &c. v.; restive, restiff [obs.]; recusant; uncomplying, noncompliant, incompliant, unconsenting; declinatory, uncomplaisant, disclamatory [rare], negatory, protestant; not willing to hear of, deaf to.
REFUSED &c. v.; ungranted, out of the question, not to be thought of, impossible.
ADVERB:NO [See Negation]; on no account, not for the world; no thank you; your humble servant [ironically], bien obligé [F.], not on your life! [U. S.].
QUOTATIONS:
- One refusal no rebuff.—Byron
- ’Tis fine to see them scattering refusals And wild dismay.—Julius Cæsar
- He who begs timidly courts a refusal.—Seneca