Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Refuge

Ref′uge

(r?f′?j)
,
Noun.
[F.
réfuge
, L.
refugium
, fr.
refugere
to flee back; pref.
re-
+
figere
. SEe
Fugitive
.]
1.
Shelter or protection from danger or distress.
Rocks, dens, and caves! But I in none of these
Find place or
refuge
.
Milton.
We might have a strong consolation, who have fled for
refuge
to lay hold upon the hope set before us.
Heb. vi. 18.
2.
That which shelters or protects from danger, or from distress or calamity; a stronghold which protects by its strength, or a sanctuary which secures safety by its sacredness; a place inaccessible to an enemy.
The high hills are a
refuge
r the wild goats.
Ps. civ. 18.
The Lord also will be a
refuge
for the oppressed.
Ps. ix. 9.
3.
An expedient to secure protection or defense; a device or contrivance.
Their latest
refuge

Was to send him.
Shakespeare
Light must be supplied, among graceful
refuges
, by terracing [GREEK][GREEK][GREEK] story in danger of darkness.
Sir H. Wotton.
Cities of refuge
(Jewish Antiq.)
,
certain cities appointed as places of safe refuge for persons who had committed homicide without design. Of these there were three on each side of Jordan.
Josh. xx.
House of refuge
,
a charitable institution for giving shelter and protection to the homeless, destitute, or tempted.
Syn. – Shelter; asylum; retreat; covert.

Ref′uge

(r?f′?j)
,
Verb.
T.
To shelter; to protect.
[Obs.]

Webster 1828 Edition


Refuge

REF'UGE

,
Noun.
[L. refugium, refugio; re and fugio, to flee.]
1.
Shelter or protection from danger or distress.
- Rocks, dens and caves, but I in none of these find place or refuge.
We have made lies our refuge. Is. 28.
- We might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us. Heb. 6.
2.
That which shelters or protects from danger, distress or calamity; a strong hold which protects by its strength, or a sanctuary which secures safety by its sacredness; any place inaccessible to an enemy.
The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats. Ps. 104.
The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed. Ps. 9.
3.
An expedient to secure protection or defense.
This last old man - their latest refuge was to send to him.
4.
Expedient, in general.
Light must be supplied, among graceful refuges, by terracing any story in danger of darkness.
Cities of refuge, among the Israelites, certain cities appointed to secure the safety of such persons as might commit homicide without design. Of these there were three on each side of Jordan. Josh. 20.

REF'UGE

,
Verb.
T.
To shelter; to protect.

Definition 2024


refuge

refuge

English

Noun

refuge (plural refuges)

  1. A state of safety, protection or shelter.
    • Milton
      Rocks, dens, and caves! But I in none of these / Find place or refuge.
  2. A place providing safety, protection or shelter.
    • 1898, Winston Churchill, chapter 4, in The Celebrity:
      One morning I had been driven to the precarious refuge afforded by the steps of the inn, after rejecting offers from the Celebrity to join him in a variety of amusements. But even here I was not free from interruption, for he was seated on a horse-block below me, playing with a fox terrier.
  3. Something or someone turned to for safety or assistance; a recourse or resort.
  4. An expedient to secure protection or defence.
    • Shakespeare
      Their latest refuge / Was to send him.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Sir H. Wotton to this entry?)
  5. A refuge island.

Synonyms

Translations

Derived terms

Verb

refuge (third-person singular simple present refuges, present participle refuging, simple past and past participle refuged)

  1. (intransitive) To return to a place of shelter.
    • 2011, Michael D. Gumert, ‎Agustín Fuentes, ‎Lisa Jones-Engel, Monkeys on the Edge
      Among these macaques, although activity cycles are quite variable from location to location, refuging is a common characteristic.
  2. (transitive, obsolete) To shelter; to protect.

Translations


French

Etymology

From Latin refugium.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʁə.fyʒ/

Noun

refuge m (plural refuges)

  1. refuge

Latin

Verb

refuge

  1. second-person singular present active imperative of refugiō

Old French

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Latin refugium.

Noun

refuge m (oblique plural refuges, nominative singular refuges, nominative plural refuge)

  1. a refuge
  2. (figuratively) a protector or savior

Descendants