Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - refuse

~1 v 1 to say or show that you will not do something that someone has asked you to do  (I'm sure if you ask her to help you, she won't refuse. | refuse to do sth)  (I refuse to take part in anything that's illegal. | flatly refuse/refuse point blank (=refuse very firmly and directly))  (Mother flatly refused to go back into the hospital.) 2 to say no to something that you have been offered; decline2 (4)  (Mrs Sutton refused a second piece of cake. | Their offer is too good to refuse.) 3 to not give or allow someone something that they want  (refuse sb sth)  (The US authorities refused him a visa.)  ( USAGE NOTE: REFUSE WORD CHOICE agree to, accept, refuse, reject, decline, turn down, deny Refuse, reject, decline, turn down all mean that you do not do something that someone has asked you to do (opposite agree to), or do not take something that you are offered (opposite accept). You can refuse an invitation, application, offer, permission, or you can refuse to say or do something She refused to come with us. More strongly, you reject an application, idea, proposal, offer, improvement, or plan The Greens rejected the proposals for the new road. | Her first novel was rejected by over 30 publishers. You decline an invitation, offer, or to give permission by saying or writing something rather than doing something. This word is less strong but more formal and polite The Senator has declined all our invitations to an open debate on the matter. Less formally, you can turn down an invitation, application, suggestion, offer, or plan He turns down all offers of help. You can also deny someone permission, an opportunity, or their rights. But usually if you deny something especially something wrong that someone has said you have done, you say it is not true The sentence She denied working for the enemy, means She said she was not working for the enemy (NOT She refused to work for the enemy).