## Meanings
1. To say firmly that you will not do something.
2. To say no to something that is offered or requested.
3. Waste material that is thrown away; rubbish.

## Examples
- I refuse to listen to this nonsense any more.
- My request for a pay rise was refused.
- The refuse is collected from the street every Tuesday.

## Derived Forms
- refusable
- refusednik
- refusingly
- unrefused
- unrefusing

## Related Forms
- refusal
- refutal
- refute

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: refusen
- Root: refuser
- Root: *refūsāre
- Root: refutō

## Etymology
From Middle English refusen, from Old French refuser, from Vulgar Latin *refūsāre, a blend of Classical Latin refūtāre (whence also refute) and recūsāre (whence also recuse).

## AI Etymology
Refuse comes from Middle English refusen, from Old French refuser, from Vulgar Latin *refūsāre, a blend of Classical Latin refūtāre (whence also refute) and recūsāre (whence also recuse). Modern senses include to say firmly that you will not do something. and to say no to something that is offered or requested.. The wider word family includes derivatives such as refusable, refusednik, refusingly, unrefused, and unrefusing and related forms such as refusal, refutal, and refute.

## Topics
- Environment & Ecology

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refuse

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