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Rebuke vs Refuse - What's the difference?

rebuke | refuse |

As nouns the difference between rebuke and refuse

is that rebuke is a harsh criticism while refuse is collectively, items or material that have been discarded; rubbish, garbage.

As verbs the difference between rebuke and refuse

is that rebuke is to criticise harshly; to reprove while refuse is to decline (a request or demand).

As an adjective refuse is

discarded, rejected.

rebuke

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A harsh criticism.
  • * 2012 , July 15. Richard Williams in Guardian Unlimited, Tour de France 2012: Carpet tacks cannot force Bradley Wiggins off track
    • There was the sternness of an old-fashioned Tour patron in his rebuke to the young Frenchman Pierre Rolland, the only one to ride away from the peloton and seize the opportunity for a lone attack before being absorbed back into the bunch, where he was received with coolness.

    Verb

    (rebuk)
  • To criticise harshly; to reprove.

    • Synonyms

    * See also

    refuse

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) .

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Discarded, rejected.

    • Noun

    (-)
  • (UK) Collectively, items or material that have been discarded; rubbish, garbage.
    • Synonyms
    * discards * garbage (US ) * rubbish (UK ) * trash (US ) * See also

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) refuser, from .

    Verb

    (refus)
  • To decline (a request or demand).
    • My request for a pay rise was refused .
    I refuse to listen to this nonsense any more.
  • * Bible, Isa. i. 20
    • If ye refuse ye shall be devoured with the sword.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=September 27 , author=Alistair Magowan , title=Bayern Munich 2 - 0 Man City , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=City were outclassed thereafter and Roberto Mancini said that substitute Carlos Tevez refused to play.}}
  • To decline a request or demand, forbear; to withhold permission.
    • I asked the star if I could have her autograph, but she refused .
  • (military) To throw back, or cause to keep back (as the centre, a wing, or a flank), out of the regular alignment when troops are about to engage the enemy.
    • to refuse the right wing while the left wing attacks
  • (obsolete) To disown.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Refuse thy name.
    Usage notes
    * This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive . See
    Synonyms
    * (decline) decline, reject, nill, say no to, turn down, veto, withsake * (decline a request or demand) say no, forbear

    Noun

  • (obsolete) refusal
    • (Fairfax)
    English heteronyms English reporting verbs ----