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Retract vs Refuse - What's the difference?

retract | refuse |

In transitive terms the difference between retract and refuse

is that retract is to take back or withdraw something one has said while refuse is to decline (a request or demand).

As an adjective refuse is

discarded, rejected.

As a noun refuse is

collectively, items or material that have been discarded; rubbish, garbage.

retract

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To pull back inside.
    • An airplane retracts its wheels for flight.
  • (ambitransitive) To draw back; to draw up.
    • Muscles retract after amputation.
    A cat can retract its claws.
  • To take back or withdraw something one has said.
    • I retract all the accusations I made about the senator and sincerely hope he won't sue me.
  • * Bishop Stillingfleet
    • I would as freely have retracted this charge of idolatry as I ever made it.
  • * Granville
    • She will, and she will not; she grants, denies, / Consents, retracts , advances, and then flies.
  • To take back, as a grant or favour previously bestowed; to revoke.
    • (Woodward)

    Synonyms

    * take back * withcall * withdraw

    See also

    * unsay * unspeak

    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 ----