revulsion

See also: révulsion

English[edit]

revulsion (usually uncountable, plural revulsions)

Abhorrence, a sense of loathing, intense aversion, repugnance, repulsion, horror.
A sudden violent feeling of disgust.
(medicine) The treatment of one diseased area by acting elsewhere; counterirritation.
(obsolete) A strong pulling or drawing back; withdrawal.
- 1642, Tho[mas] Browne, “(please specify the page)”, in Religio Medici. […], 4th edition, London: […] E. Cotes for Andrew Crook […], published 1656, →OCLC:
  Revulsions and pull-backs.
- 1858, “Our Window”, in Emerson's Magazine and Putnam's Monthly‎^[1], volume 6, page 329:
  The recent financial revulsion has revealed the feeble basis on which credit now stands […]
(obsolete) A sudden reaction; a sudden and complete change of the feelings.
- 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “The Result”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 234:
  We resolve, and our resolutions melt away with a word and a look: we are the toys of an emotion. And yet I think Norbourne was right in his sudden revulsion in favour of his uncle. We are rarely wrong when we act from impulse.
- 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter 1, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volumes (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:
  A sudden and violent revulsion of feeling, both in the Parliament and the country, followed.

abhorrence, a sense of loathing, intense aversion, repugnance, repulsion, horror

sudden violent feeling of disgust

treatment of one diseased area by acting elsewhere; counterirritation