REPEL

rebuff, snub, repel

(verb) reject outright and bluntly; “She snubbed his proposal”

repel, repulse, fight off, rebuff, drive back

(verb) force or drive back; “repel the attacker”; “fight off the onslaught”; “rebuff the attack”

repel, drive, repulse, force back, push back, beat back

(verb) cause to move back by force or influence; “repel the enemy”; “push back the urge to smoke”; “beat back the invaders”

repel, repulse

(verb) be repellent to; cause aversion in

disgust, gross out, revolt, repel

(verb) fill with distaste; “This spoilt food disgusts me”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Verb

repel (third-person singular simple present repels, present participle repelling, simple past and past participle repelled)

(transitive, now rare) To turn (someone) away from a privilege, right, job, etc. [from 15th c.]

(transitive) To reject, put off (a request, demand etc.). [from 15th c.]

(transitive) To ward off (a malignant influence, attack etc.). [from 15th c.]

(transitive) To drive back (an assailant, advancing force etc.). [from 15th c.]

(transitive, physics) To force away by means of a repulsive force. [from 17th c.]

(transitive) To cause repulsion or dislike in; to disgust. [from 18th c.]

(transitive, sports) To save (a shot).

Synonyms

• (nonstandard, rare) withdrive

Antonyms

• attract

Anagrams

• Epler, leper

Source: Wiktionary

Re**pel" (r-pl"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Repelled (-pld"); p. pr. & vb. n. Repelling.] Etym: [L. repellere, repulsum; pref. re- re- + pellere to drive. See Pulse a beating, and cf. Repulse, Repeal.]

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", v. i.

Definition: To act with force in opposition to force impressed; to exercise repulsion.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition