## Meanings
1. To drive back or force away an attacker or advancing force.
2. To cause strong dislike or disgust in someone.
3. To push something away by a physical force.

## Examples
- The soldiers managed to repel the enemy assault.
- The smell from the bins repelled everyone who walked past.
- This spray is designed to repel mosquitoes.

## Antonyms
- attract

## Derived Forms
- repellable
- repeller
- repellingly
- repellingness
- unrepelled

## Related Forms
- repellency
- repellent
- repulse
- repulsion
- repulsive

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *pel- (beat)
- Root: repellen
- Root: repellere

## Etymology
From Middle English repellen, a borrowing from Old French *repeller, from Latin repellere (“to drive back”), from re- (“back”) + pellere (“to drive”). Doublet of repeal.

## AI Etymology
Repel is from Middle English repellen, a borrowing from Old French *repeller, from Latin repellere (“to drive back”), from re- (“back”) + pellere (“to drive”). Doublet of repeal. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern verbal form is built from the named base and affix. In present-day use, it can mean to drive back or force away an attacker or advancing force, or to cause strong dislike or disgust in someone. Related forms include repellency, repellent, repulse, repulsion, repulsive. Derived formations include repellable, repeller, repellingly, repellingness, unrepelled.

## Topics
- Space, Position & Direction

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