Emily Dickinson Lexicon

REFT, n.

A chink. [See Rift.]

REFT, pp. [of Reave.]

1. Deprived; bereft. [Not in use.] – Shak.
2. [pret. of Reave.] Took away. [Not in use.] – Spenser.

REF'UGE, n. [Fr. from L. refugium, refugio; re and fugio, to flee.]

1. Shelter or protection from danger or distress. … Rocks, dens and eaves, but I in none of these / Find place or refuge. – Milton. We have made lies our refuge. – Is. xxviii. We might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us. – Heb. vi.
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. civ. The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed. – Ps. ix.
3. An expedient to secure protection or defense. This last old man … / Their latest refuge was to send to him. – Shak.
4. Expedient, in general. Light must be supplied, among graceful refuges, by terracing any story in danger of darkness. – Wotton. 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. xx.

REF'UGE, v.t.

To shelter; to protect.

REF-U-GEE', n. [Fr. refugié.]

1. One who flies to a shelter or place of safety. – Dryden.
2. One who, in times of persecution or political commotion, flees to a foreign country for safety; as, the French refugees, who left France after the revocation of the edict of Nantz, and settled in Flanders and America; the refugees from Hispaniola, in 1792; and the American refugees, who left their country at the Revolution.

RE-FUL'GENCE, or RE-FUL'GEN-CY, n. [L. refulgens, refulgeo; re and fulgeo, to shine.]

A flood of light; splendor.

RE-FULG'ENT, a.

Casting a bright light; shining; splendid; as, refulgent beams; refulgent light; refulgent arms. A conspicuous and refulgent truth. – Boyle.

RE-FUL'GENT-LY, adv.

With a flood of light; with great brightness.

RE-FUND', v.t. [L. refundo; re and fundo, to pour.]

1. To pour back. Were the humors of the eye tinctured with any color, they would refund that color upon the object. [Unusual or obsolete.] – Ray.
2. To repay; to return in payment or compensation for what has been taken; to restore; as, to refund money taken wrongfully; to refund money advanced with interest; to refund the amount advanced.

RE-FUND'ED, pp.

Poured back; repaid.

RE-FUND'ER, n.

One who refunds.

RE-FUND'ING, ppr.

Pouring back; returning by payment or compensation.

RE-FUR'BISH, v.t.

To furbish a second time.

RE-FUR'BISH-ED, pp.

Furbished again.

RE-FUR'BISH-ING, ppr.

Furbishing again.

RE-FU'SA-BLE, a. [s as z. from refuse.]

That may be refused. – Young.

RE-FU'SAL, n. [s as z.]

1. The act of refusing; denial of any thing demanded, solicited or offered for acceptance. The first refusal is not always proof that the request will not be ultimately granted.
2. The right of taking in preference to others; the choice of taking or refusing; option; pre-emption. We say, a man has the refusal of a farm or a horse, or the refusal of an employment.

REF'USE, a. [Fr. refus, refusal, denial, and that which is denied.]

Literally, refused; rejected; hence, worthless; of no value; left as unworthy of reception; as, the refuse parts of stone or timber. Please to bestow on him the refuse letters. – Spectator.

REF'USE, n.¹

That which is refused or rejected as useless; waste matter. – Hooker. Bacon. Addison.

RE-FUSE, n.²

Refusal. [Obs.] – Fairfax.

RE-FUSE, v.i. [s as z.]

To decline to accept; not to comply. Too proud to ask, too humble to refuse. – Garth.

RE-FUSE, v.t. [s as z. Fr. refuse; Arm. reusi, reusein; It. rifiutare, rifusare; Sp. rehusar; Port. refusar; 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. – Num. xx.
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 band. – Jer. xxv.
3. To reject; as, to refuse instruction or reproof. – Prov. x. The stone which the builders refused is become the head of the corner. – Ps. cxviii. Note. Refuse expresses rejection more strongly than decline.

RE-FUS-ED, pp.

Denied; rejected; not accepted.

RE-FUS-ER, n.

One that refuses or rejects. – Taylor.

RE-FUS-ING, ppr.

Denying; declining to accept; rejecting.