repel
verb/ɹɪˈpɛl/
Etymology From Middle English repellen, a borrowing from Old French *repeller, from Latin repellere (“to drive back”), from re- (“back”) + pellere (“to drive”). Doublet of repeal.
7 senses
- 1To turn (someone) away from a privilege, right, job, etc.
- 2To reject, put off (a request, demand etc.).
- 3To ward off (a malignant influence, attack etc.).
- 4To drive back (an assailant, advancing force etc.).
- 5To force away by means of a repulsive force.
- 6To cause repulsion or dislike in; to disgust.
- 7To save (a shot).
1
Archaic To turn (someone) away from a privilege, right, job, etc.
- It is some satisfaction to him that is repelled, that dignities, honours, offices, are not alwayes given by desert or worth, but for love, affinitie, friendship, affection, great mens letters, or as commonly they are bought and sold.1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition II, section 3, member 7:
2
To reject, put off (a request, demand etc.).
3
To ward off (a malignant influence, attack etc.).
4
To drive back (an assailant, advancing force etc.).
- In nearby Zintan, rebels repelled an advance by Gaddafi's forces, killing eight and taking one prisoner, a local activist said.2011 May 19, Ian Traynor, The Guardian:
5
Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Physics To force away by means of a repulsive force.
6
To cause repulsion or dislike in; to disgust.
- However, while the idea of a free holiday appeals enormously, I am frankly repelled by the idea of spending a couple of weeks in your company.2008 January 26, The Guardian:
7
Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports To save (a shot).
- Arsenal pressed forward again after half-time but other than a venomous Walcott shot that Howard repelled with a fine one-handed save, the hosts offered little cutting edge.2011 December 10, David Ornstein, “Arsenal 1-0 Everton”, in BBC Sport:
- Antonyms
- attract
- Derived terms
- repellable, repeller, repellingly, repellingness, unrepelled
- Related terms
- repellency, repellent, repulse, repulsion, repulsive