# refuse

/ˈɹɛfˌjuz/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/refuse
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 2. to withhold something

verb · CEFR B2

to not give someone something that they want or need.

For teachers: to withhold something from someone; often used in a ditransitive structure.

- The bank refused him a loan because he had no regular income.
- The authorities refused the refugees entry into the country, citing a lack of proper documentation and security concerns.

### 4. military positioning

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to move a part of an army back so it is not in a straight line with the rest.

For teachers: to bend back or pull back a flank or wing of a military formation to prevent it from being outflanked.

- The general decided to refuse his right flank to protect the troops from the approaching cavalry.
- By refusing the left wing of his army, the commander successfully baited the enemy into a narrow valley where their numerical advantage was lost.

## Examples

- The city collects refuse every Tuesday morning.
- The local council implemented new regulations to ensure that household refuse is sorted into recyclable and non-recyclable bins.
- The industrial site was heavily fined after investigators discovered that hazardous refuse had been leaking into the groundwater for several months.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.