Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The act or an instance of refusing.
  • noun The opportunity or right to accept or reject something before it is offered elsewhere.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In mech., the limiting resistance of a female screw or nut to further turning upon the male screw or bolt, and conversely.
  • noun The act of refusing; denial or rejection of anything demanded, solicited, or offered for acceptance.
  • noun The choice of refusing or taking; the right of taking in preference to others; option of buying; preëmption.
  • noun In hydraulic engineering, the resistance of a pile at any point to further driving.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The act of refusing; denial of anything demanded, solicited, or offered for acceptance.
  • noun The right of taking in preference to others; the choice of taking or refusing; option.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The act of refusing.
  • noun civil engineering Depth or point at which well or borehole drilling cannot continue.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the act of refusing
  • noun a message refusing to accept something that is offered

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • For Israelis, that refusal translates as a denial of any Jewish connection to the land, which in turn means that the conflict is still open.

    The American Prospect Articles 2009

  • Fox has repeatedly said that she loves comics, so I wouldn't assume her refusal is automatic.

    Megan Fox Reportedly Offered Role as Red Sonja | /Film 2010

  • Mpofu expressed concern over what he labelled the refusal of other media to give the SABC credit for anything.

    ANC Daily News Briefing 2006

  • Prosecutors are severely critical of his leaving the ship before the evacuation was complete, which they describe as a "refusal to do his duty."

    msnbc.com: Top msnbc.com headlines 2012

  • If this refusal is the result of an offended sensibility, you cannot exert yourself too warmly in its consolation; even if it is from pride, it has a just claim to your concessions, since she thinks you have injured it; yet pause before you act, may it not be merely from a confidence of power that loves to tyrannize over its slaves, by playing with their chains? or a lurking spirit of coquetry, that desires to regain the liberty of trifling with some new Sir Sedley Clarendel? or, perhaps, with Sir Sedley himself? '

    Camilla: or, A Picture of Youth 1796

  • But viewed more skeptically, or some would say more pragmatically, the operation against Libya represented an intelligence and policy failure that exemplified the long-term refusal of the CIA and MI6 to shut down A. Q. Khan.

    Fallout Catherine Collins 2011

  • But viewed more skeptically, or some would say more pragmatically, the operation against Libya represented an intelligence and policy failure that exemplified the long-term refusal of the CIA and MI6 to shut down A. Q. Khan.

    Fallout Catherine Collins 2011

  • Such a refusal is entirely within their Constitutional powers.

    The Volokh Conspiracy » Why Recalls of U.S. Senators Are Unconstitutional 2010

  • All those whose reality is shrouded in refusal and denial to see the writing on the wall, will be responsible if they nominate Obama and he loses this election for us, because the whole world knows that this presidency is the Democrat's to lose.

    Paterson says Clinton frustrated, not desperate 2008

  • And because refusal is treated as a positive test result, he is now considered guilty of doping and could be barred from professional chess for two years.

    There’s No Doping in Chess « Gerry Canavan 2008

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