repulse

English

Etymology

From Latin repellere (“to drive back”), from re- (“back”) + pellere (“to drive”).

For spelling, as in pulse, the -e (on -lse) is so the end is pronounced /ls/, rather than /lz/ as in pulls, and does not change the vowel (‘u’). Compare else, false, convulse.

Verb

repulse (third-person singular simple present repulses, present participle repulsing, simple past and past participle repulsed)

1. to repel or drive back

   to repulse an assault; to repulse the enemy

2. to reject or rebuff

   to repulse a suitor

3. to cause revulsion

Translations

to repel or drive back

to reject or rebuff

• Finnish: torjua (fi)

to cause revulsion

• Finnish: inhottaa (fi)

• Spanish: repulsar (es)

Noun

repulse (plural repulses)

1. the act of repulsing or the state of being repulsed
2. refusal, rejection or repulsion

Related terms

• repel
• repellent
• repulsion
• repulsive

External links

• repulse in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• repulse in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• repulse at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• Slurpee

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Italian

Verb

repulse

1. third-person singular past historic of repellere

Noun

repulse f

1. Plural of repulso

Anagrams

• preluse
• presule

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Latin

Participle

repulse

1. vocative masculine singular of repulsus