Etymologically
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refuser

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ʁə.fy.ze/[1]

Forms

refuser[1] Old French also rehuser (late 12th century).[2] Anglo-Norman also reffuser, refusier.[3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Vulgar Latin *refūsō (“to reject”), usually explained as a blend of recūsō (“to refuse”) (compare récuser) and refūtō (“to repel; to refute”), which in Late Latin had also taken the sense “to refuse”.[2][4][5][1][6] Rey thinks less satisfactory a derivation from refūsus, past participle of refundō (“to pour back; to drive back”).[2] Littré, citing Diez, calls the blend ingenious but not quite certain.[7]

Spanish rehusar goes back to the same type; Italian rifiutare continues “refūtāre”.[2][4][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

Littré's earliest quotation, from the Laws of William (late 11th century), has qui dreite lei et dreit jugement refusera, “whoever refuses right law and right judgement”; the first sense is “to reject”.[7][5]

Semantic evolution

In the 12th century it meant not to accept what is offered and not to grant what is asked (Wace, 1160–74), to turn down a suitor (Eneas, about 1160) and to deny mercy (Chrétien de Troyes, 1176–81).[8][2] The construction refuser à with an infinitive (about 1120) was usual in classical French and was replaced by refuser de.[2][9] Refuser le combat dates from about 1260.[2]

Se refuser à “not to lend oneself to” is in Molière (1666), and se refuser quelque chose “to deny oneself” in Bossuet (1670), whence ironic il ne se refuse rien.[8][2] Sailors say that the wind refuse when it turns contrary (1718); a horse refuses an obstacle; a pile refuse when it can be driven no further (1870).[8][2]

Timeline

  • Late 11th century – Refuser in the Laws of William.[7][5]
  • c. 1120 – Refuser a with an infinitive, Oxford Psalter.[8]
  • c. 1160 – Turning down suitors, Eneas.[8]
  • c. 1260 – Refuser le combat.[2]
  • 1666 – Se refuser à, Molière.[8]
  • 1718 – Of the wind, in the Académie dictionary.[8]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To refuse, decline (what is offered): refuser une offre, un cadeau.[7][8]
  2. Not to grant (what is asked): refuser une permission, refuser sa porte à quelqu'un.[10][9]
  3. Refuser de: to refuse to: il refuse de partir.[8][1]
  4. To turn down (a person): to reject a candidate, a suitor; to fail (a candidate).[8][10]
  5. Se refuser à: to refuse to agree to, ne rien se refuser: to deny oneself nothing.[2][10]
  6. (nautical) (of the wind) To become contrary, (riding) (of a horse) to balk at an obstacle.[8][2]

Word family

  • refus
  • récuser
  • réfuter

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
  4. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 10, 198b
  7. ^ a b c d e Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  9. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  10. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert