re|fund|able /r I fʌ ndəb ə l/ ADJ A refundable payment will be paid back to you in certain circumstances. □ A refundable deposit is payable on arrival.
re|fur|bish /riːfɜː r b I ʃ/ (refurbishes , refurbishing , refurbished ) VERB To refurbish a building or room means to clean it and decorate it and make it more attractive or better equipped. □ [V n] We have spent money on refurbishing the offices.
re|fur|bish|ment /riːfɜː r b I ʃmənt/ N‑UNCOUNT The refurbishment of something is the act or process of cleaning it, decorating it, and providing it with new equipment or facilities.
re|fus|al /r I fjuː z ə l/ (refusals )
1 N‑VAR Someone's refusal to do something is the fact of them showing or saying that they will not do it, allow it, or accept it. □ …her refusal to accept change.
2 PHRASE If someone has first refusal on something that is being sold or offered, they have the right to decide whether or not to buy it or take it before it is offered to anyone else. □ A tenant may have a right of first refusal if a property is offered for sale.
re|fuse ◆◆◇ (refuses , refusing , refused ) The verb is pronounced /r I fjuː z/. The noun is pronounced /re fjuːs/ and is hyphenated ref|use. 1 VERB If you refuse to do something, you deliberately do not do it, or you say firmly that you will not do it. □ [V to-inf] He refused to comment after the trial. □ [V ] He expects me to stay on here and I can hardly refuse.
2 VERB If someone refuses you something, they do not give it to you or do not allow you to have it. □ [V n n] The United States has refused him a visa. □ [V n] The town council had refused permission for the march.
3 VERB If you refuse something that is offered to you, you do not accept it. □ [V n] The patient has the right to refuse treatment.
4 N‑UNCOUNT Refuse consists of the rubbish and all the things that are not wanted in a house, shop, or factory, and that are regularly thrown away; used mainly in official language. □ The District Council made a weekly collection of refuse. SYNONYMS refuse VERB 1
decline: The band declined to comment on the story.
demur: The doctor demurred, but Piercey was insistent.
reject: Seventeen publishers rejected the manuscript before Jenks saw its potential.
turn down: I thanked him for the offer but turned it down.
refu|ta|tion /re fjuːte I ʃ ə n/ (refutations ) N‑VAR A refutation of an argument, accusation, or theory is something that proves it is wrong or untrue. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] He prepared a complete refutation of the Opposition's most serious charges.
re|fute /r I fjuː t/ (refutes , refuting , refuted )
1 VERB If you refute an argument, accusation, or theory, you prove that it is wrong or untrue. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] It was the kind of rumour that it is impossible to refute.
2 VERB If you refute an argument or accusation, you say that it is not true. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] Isabelle is quick to refute any suggestion of intellectual snobbery.
re|gain /r I ge I n/ (regains , regaining , regained ) VERB If you regain something that you have lost, you get it back again. □ [V n] Troops have regained control of the city.
re|gal /riː g ə l/ ADJ If you describe something as regal , you mean that it is suitable for a king or queen, because it is very impressive or beautiful. □ He sat with such regal dignity. ● re|gal|ly ADV □ He inclined his head regally.
re|gale /r I ge I l/ (regales , regaling , regaled ) VERB If someone regales you with stories or jokes, they tell you a lot of them, whether you want to hear them or not. □ [be V -ed + with ] He was constantly regaled with tales of woe.
re|ga|lia /r I ge I liə/ N‑UNCOUNT Regalia consists of all the traditional clothes and items which someone such as a king or a judge wears and carries on official occasions. □ …officials in full regalia.
re|gard ◆◆◇ /r I gɑː r d/ (regards , regarding , regarded )
1 VERB If you regard someone or something as being a particular thing or as having a particular quality, you believe that they are that thing or have that quality. □ [be V -ed + as ] He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times. □ [V n + as ] I regard creativity both as a gift and as a skill.
2 VERB If you regard something or someone with a feeling such as dislike or respect, you have that feeling about them. □ [V n + with ] They regarded him with a mixture of fondness and alarm.
3 VERB If you regard someone in a certain way, you look at them in that way. [LITERARY ] □ [V n] She regarded him curiously for a moment. □ [V n + with ] The clerk regarded him with benevolent amusement.
4 N‑UNCOUNT If you have regard for someone or something, you respect them and care about them. If you hold someone in high regard , you have a lot of respect for them. □ I have a very high regard for him and what he has achieved. □ The Party ruled the country without regard for the people's views.
5 N‑PLURAL Regards are greetings. You use regards in expressions such as best regards and with kind regards as a way of expressing friendly feelings towards someone, especially in a letter or email. [FORMULAE ] □ [+ to ] Give my regards to your family.