Tra từ refuse - Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

▪ I. re·fuse 1 [refuse refuses refused refusing] BrE [rɪˈfjuːz] NAmE [rɪˈfjuːz] verb
1. intransitive, transitive to say that you will not do sth that sb has asked you to do
• Go on, ask her; she can hardly refuse.
•~ to do sth He flatly refused to discuss the matter.
•She refused to accept that there was a problem.
2. transitive ~ sth to say that you do not want sth that has been offered to you
Syn: turn down
• I politely refused their invitation.
• The job offer was simply too good to refuse.
3. transitive to say that you will not allow sth; to say that you will not give or allow sb sth that they want or need
Syn: ↑deny
•~ sth The bank refused his demand for a full refund.
• The authorities refused permission for the new housing development.
•He refused our request for an interview.
•The judge refused her application for bail.
•~ sb sth They refused him a visa.
•She would never refuse her kids anything.
Verb forms:

Word Origin:
Middle English Old French refuser Latin recusare ‘to refuse’ refutare ‘refute’

Thesaurus:
refuse verb I, T
•The government has refused all demands for a public inquiry.
reject • • turn sb/sth down • • veto • • throw sth out • |formal decline • • deny • • disallow • |formal, often disapproving rebuff •
Opp: agree, Opp: accept
refuse/reject/turn down/veto/throw out/decline a proposal
refuse/reject/turn down/decline/rebuff a/an offer/request
refuse/reject/turn down/decline a/an chance/opportunity/invitation
refuse/deny sb access to sth

Example Bank:
•Gerard refused point-blank to co-operate.
•He didn't dare to refuse.
•She offered them cups of tea and it seemed churlish to refuse.
•The Court has repeatedly refused to bend on this point.
•The demand for an apology was pointedly refused.
•They made me an offer I couldn't refuse.
•Workers should be entitled to refuse to work under these conditions.
•Go on, ask her. She can hardly refuse.
•The government has refused all demands for a public enquiry.
•The judge refused an application for bail.
•Two patients refused treatment.
•We invited her to the wedding but she refused.

▪ II. re·fuse 2 [refuse refuses refused refusing] BrE [ˈrefjuːs] NAmE [ˈrefjuːs] noun uncountable (formal)
waste material that has been thrown away
Syn: ↑rubbish
•domestic/household refuse
•the city refuse dump
•refuse collection/disposal

Word Origin:
late Middle English Old French refusé ‘refused’ refuser Latin recusare ‘to refuse’ refutare ‘refute’

British/American:
rubbish / garbage / trash / refuse
Rubbish is the usual word in BrE for the things that you throw away because you no longer want or need them. Garbage and trash are both used in NAmE. Inside the home, garbage tends to mean waste food and other wet material, while trash is paper, cardboard and dry material.
In BrE, you put your rubbish in a dustbin in the street to be collected by the dustmen. In NAmE, your garbage and trash goes in a garbage/trash can in the street and is collected by garbage men/collectors.
Refuse is a formal word and is used in both BrE and NAmE. Refuse collector is the formal word for a dustman or garbage collector.

Example Bank:
•People dump their refuse in the surrounding woods instead of taking it to the tip.
•People just dump their refuse in the street.
•Refuse is collected on Fridays.
•What day do they collect the refuse?
•Domestic refuse can be burnt to produce electricity.
•The local council is responsible for basic services such as refuse collection.