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Refuse vs Resist - What's the difference?

refuse | resist |

In transitive terms the difference between refuse and resist

is that refuse is to decline (a request or demand) while resist is to withstand the actions of.

In intransitive terms the difference between refuse and resist

is that refuse is to decline a request or demand, forbear; to withhold permission while resist is to oppose.

As an adjective refuse

is discarded, rejected.

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 ----

    resist

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To attempt to counter the actions or effects of.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-28, author=(Joris Luyendijk)
    • , volume=189, issue=3, page=21, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Our banks are out of control , passage=Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic who still resists the idea that something drastic needs to happen for him to turn his life around.}}
  • To withstand the actions of.
  • * '>citation
  • *, chapter=16
    • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=The preposterous altruism too!
  • To oppose.
  • (obsolete) To be distasteful to.
  • * 1608 , , II. iii. 29:
    • These cates resist me,

    Usage notes

    * This is a catenative verb that takes the gerund (-ing) . See

    Derived terms

    * resistance

    Synonyms

    * (l) * (l) * (l)

    Antonyms

    * obey * submit

    Derived terms

    * irresistible * irresistibly * resistance * resistant * resistantly * resistible * resistibly * resistive * resistively * resistless * resistlessly * resistor

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A protective coating or covering. Oxford English Dictionary , 2nd ed., 1989.

    • Anagrams

    *

    References