Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Repel
Re--pel′
(r?-p?l′)
, Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Repelled
(-p?ld′)
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Repelling
.] 1.
To drive back; to force to return; to check the advance of; to repulse as, to repel an enemy or an assailant.
Hippomedon
repelled
the hostile tide. Pope.
They
repelled
each other strongly, and yet attracted each other strongly. Macaulay.
2.
To resist or oppose effectually;
as, to
. repel
an assault, an encroachment, or an argument[He] gently
repelled
their entreaties. Hawthorne.
Syn. – Tu repulse; resist; oppose; reject; refuse.
Re-pel′
,Verb.
I.
To act with force in opposition to force impressed; to exercise repulsion.
Webster 1828 Edition
Repel
REPEL'
,Verb.
T.
1.
to drive back; to force to return; to check advance; as, to repel an enemy or an assailant.Hippomedon repell'd the hostile tide.
And virtue may repel, though not invade.
2.
To resist; to oppose; as, to repel an argument.REPEL'
, v.i.1.
To act with force in opposition to force impressed. Electricity sometimes attracts and sometimes repels.2.
In medicine, to check an afflux to a part of the body.Definition 2024
repel
repel
English
Verb
repel (third-person singular simple present repels, present participle repelling, simple past and past participle repelled)
- (now rare) To turn (someone) away from a privilege, right, job, etc. [from 15th c.]
- 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, II.3.7:
- It is some satisfaction to him that is repelled, that dignities, honours, offices, are not alwayes given by desert or worth, but for love, affinitie, friendship, affection, great mens letters, or as commonly they are bought and sold.
- 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, II.3.7:
- To reject, put off (a request, demand etc.). [from 15th c.]
- To ward off (a malignant influence, attack etc.). [from 15th c.]
- To drive back (an assailant, advancing force etc.). [from 15th c.]
- 2011, Ian Traynor, The Guardian, 19 May 2011:
- In nearby Zintan, rebels repelled an advance by Gaddafi's forces, killing eight and taking one prisoner, a local activist said.
- 2011, Ian Traynor, The Guardian, 19 May 2011:
- (physics) To force away by means of a repulsive force. [from 17th c.]
- To cause repulsion, cause dislike. [from 18th c.]
- 2008, The Guardian, 26 Jan 2008:
- However, while the idea of a free holiday appeals enormously, I am frankly repelled by the idea of spending a couple of weeks in your company.
- 2008, The Guardian, 26 Jan 2008:
- (transitive, sports) To save (a shot).
- 2011 December 10, David Ornstein, “Arsenal 1-0 Everton”, in BBC Sport:
- Arsenal pressed forward again after half-time but other than a venomous Walcott shot that Howard repelled with a fine one-handed save, the hosts offered little cutting edge.
-
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related terms
Translations
to put off
to ward off
to drive away
physics: to force away
to cause repulsion or dislike
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