repulse

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See also: repulsé

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Latin repulsus, from 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.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ɹɪˈpʌls/
  • (file)

Verb[edit]

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

  1. (transitive) To repel or drive back.
    to repulse an assault; to repulse the enemy
    • 1939 December 5, J. W. Studebaker, Democracy Shall Not Be Plowed Under[1], page 9:
      If we fail to repulse the enemy within the gates--unemployment, poverty, disorganized agriculture and the like--from whence may we expect the united strength and clear purpose to repulse any outside force?
  2. (transitive) To reject or rebuff.
    to repulse a suitor
    • 1850, T. S. Arthur, “Happy on a Little”, in Sketches of Life and Character[2], Philadelphia: J. W. Bradley, →OCLC, page 89:
      At the end of a week, she could bear the suspense no longer, and so went humbly to her old home and sought forgiveness. She was not repulsed, but her reception was cold; and this hurt her almost as badly.
  3. (transitive) To cause revulsion in.
    The smell of rotting food repulsed me.
    I find your conduct reprehensible, disgusting, and it repulses me, the way a mongoose repulses a snake.

Translations[edit]

Noun[edit]

repulse (plural repulses)

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

Related terms[edit]

Further reading[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

Italian[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

Verb[edit]

repulse

  1. third-person singular past historic of repellere

Etymology 2[edit]

Participle[edit]

repulse f pl

  1. feminine plural of repulso

Noun[edit]

repulse

  1. plural of repulso

Anagrams[edit]

Latin[edit]

Participle[edit]

repulse

  1. vocative masculine singular of repulsus

Spanish[edit]

Verb[edit]

repulse

  1. inflection of repulsar:
    1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
    2. third-person singular imperative