{
    "term": "refuse",
    "partOfSpeech": "verb",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "a2",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "refuse",
            "heSheIt": "refuses"
        },
        "pastSimple": "refused",
        "pastParticiple": "refused",
        "ingForm": "refusing"
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to say or show that you will not do something that somebody has asked you to do",
            "sensetop": "refuse to do somethingrefuse something",
            "cefr": "a2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Go on, ask her; she can hardly refuse."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He **flatly refused** to discuss the matter.",
                    "contextForm": "refuse to do something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She **refused to accept** that there was a problem."
                },
                {
                    "text": "My brother **refused to allow** anyone to help him."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She **refused to comment** further."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He has **steadfastly refused** to answer my questions."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They **simply refuse** to give up."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The demand for an apology was pointedly refused.",
                    "contextForm": "refuse something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Gerard refused point-blank to cooperate."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He didn't dare to refuse."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The Court has repeatedly refused to bend on this point."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Workers should be entitled to refuse to work under these conditions."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["absolutely", "utterly", "adamantly"],
                "verb + refuse": ["cannot", "can hardly", "be entitled to"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to say that you do not want something that has been offered to you",
            "sensetop": "refuse (something)",
            "cefr": "a2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I politely refused their invitation."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The job offer was simply too good to refuse."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I must refuse your generous offer."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She offered them cups of tea and it seemed churlish to refuse."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We invited her to the wedding but she refused."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They made me an offer I couldn't refuse."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Two patients refused treatment."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["absolutely", "utterly", "adamantly"],
                "verb + refuse": ["cannot", "can hardly", "be entitled to"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "to say that you will not allow something; to say that you will not give or allow somebody something that they want or need",
            "sensetop": "refuse somethingrefuse somebody something",
            "cefr": "a2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He **refused our request** for an interview.",
                    "contextForm": "refuse something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The bank refused his demand for a full refund."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The authorities **refused permission** for the new housing development."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The judge **refused her application** for bail."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The government has refused all demands for a public inquiry."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They refused him a visa.",
                    "contextForm": "refuse somebody something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The judge **refused them permission** to appeal."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She would never refuse her kids anything."
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "deny",
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["absolutely", "utterly", "adamantly"],
                "verb + refuse": ["cannot", "can hardly", "be entitled to"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "to fail to do what you want or expect it to do",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The car refused to start."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The problem **simply refuses** to go away."
                },
                {
                    "text": "My ear infection is refusing to heal."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Once told, these stories refuse to disappear."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The stain refused to budge."
                },
                {
                    "text": "My legs just refused to work."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/rɪˈfjuːz/",
                "audio": "re/refuse/refuse__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/rɪˈfjuːzɪz/",
                "audio": "re/refuse/refuses__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/rɪˈfjuːzd/",
                "audio": "re/refuse/refused__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/rɪˈfjuːzɪŋ/",
                "audio": "re/refuse/refusing__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/rɪˈfjuːz/",
                "audio": "re/refuse/refuse__us_4.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/rɪˈfjuːzɪz/",
                "audio": "re/refuse/refuses__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/rɪˈfjuːzd/",
                "audio": "re/refuse/refused__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/rɪˈfjuːzɪŋ/",
                "audio": "re/refuse/refusing__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Middle English: from Old French refuser, probably an alteration of Latin recusare ‘to refuse’, influenced by refutare ‘refute’."
}