Refuse
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words [1]
"to deny, renounce, reject," in late Greek came to signify "to refuse to acknowledge, to disown," and is translated "to refuse" in Acts 7:35; Hebrews 11:24 . See Deny , No. 1.
for the various meanings of which see Avoid , No. 3, denotes "to refuse" in Acts 25:11; 1—Timothy 4:7; 5:11; 2—Timothy 2:23 , RV (AV, "avoid"); Titus 3:10 , RV (marg., "avoid;" AV, "reject"); Hebrews 12:25 (twice), perhaps in the sense of "begging off." See Excuse , Intreat , Reject.
"to prove, to approve," used with a negative in Romans 1:28 , is translated "they refused," RV (AV, "they did not like"); RV marg., "did not approve." See Approve , No. 1.
Matthew 18:17Hear 1—Timothy 4:4Reject.
Webster's Dictionary [2]
(1): ( v. i.) To deny compliance; not to comply.
(2): ( v. t.) To disown.
(3): ( v. t.) To decline to accept; to reject; to deny the request or petition of; as, to refuse a suitor.
(4): ( v. t.) To throw back, or cause to keep back (as the center, a wing, or a flank), out of the regular aligment when troops ar/ about to engage the enemy; as, to refuse the right wing while the left wing attacks.
(5): ( n.) That which is refused or rejected as useless; waste or worthless matter.
(6): ( n.) Refusal.
(7): ( v. t.) To deny, as a request, demand, invitation, or command; to decline to do or grant.
(8): ( a.) Refused; rejected; hence; left as unworthy of acceptance; of no value; worthless.
King James Dictionary [3]
REFU'SE, s as z. L. recuso re and the root of causor, to accuse causa, cause. The primary sense of causor is to drive, to throw or thrust at, and recuso is to drive back, to repel or repulse, the sense of refuse.
1. To deny a request, demand, invitation or command to decline to do or grant what is solicited, claimed or commanded.
Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border. Numbers 20 .
2. To decline to accept what is offered as, to refuse an office to refuse an offer.
If they refuse to take the cup at thy hand - Jeremiah 25 .
3. To reject as, to refuse instruction or reproof.
Proverbs 10 .
The stone which the builders refused is become the head of the corner. Psalms 118 .
Note - Refuse expenses rejection more strongly than decline.
REFU'SE, s as z. To decline to accept not to comply.
Too proud to ask, to humble too refuse.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible [4]
REFUSE . The vb. ‘to refuse’ has lost much of its vigour. In AV [Note: Authorized Version.] it often means ‘to reject.’ Thus Psalms 118:22 ‘The stone which the builders refused.’ Cf. Tindale’s trans. of Matthew 24:40 ‘Then two shalbe in the feldes, the one shalbe receaved, and the other shalbe refused.’
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [5]
rḗ - fūz ´: Formerly used with the additional meaning "reject," and hence, the change from the King James Version to the Revised Version (British and American) in 1 Samuel 16:7; Ezekiel 5:6; 1 Timothy 4:4; 1 Peter 2:7 , etc.
