rebuff

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: re=buff

CIDE DICTIONARY

rebuff, n. [It. ribuffo, akin to ribuffare to repulse; pref. ri- (L. re-) + buffo puff. Cf. Buff to strike, Buffet a blow.].

•  Repercussion, or beating back; a quick and sudden resistance.  [1913 Webster]

  "The strong rebuff of some tumultuous cloud."  [1913 Webster]
•  Sudden check; unexpected repulse; defeat; refusal; repellence; rejection of solicitation.  [1913 Webster]

rebuff, v. t. 

 To beat back; to offer sudden resistance to; to check; to repel or repulse violently, harshly, or uncourteously.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

rebuff, n. & v.
--n.
1 a rejection of one who makes advances, proffers help or sympathy, shows interest or curiosity, makes a request, etc.
2 a repulse; a snub.
--v.tr. give a rebuff to.

Etymology

obs. F rebuffe(r) f. It. ribuffo, ribuffare, rabbuffo, rabbuffare (as RE-, buffo puff)

THESAURUS

rebuff

abjuration, abjure, abjurement, backfire, backlash, backlashing, bafflement, balk, be proof against, bear up, bear up against, beat back, beat off, block, boomerang, bounce, bound, brush, brush aside, brush off, brush-off, carom, challenge, chase, chase away, chase off, check, checkmate, chuck, chuck out, chucking, chucking out, cold shoulder, cold-shoulder, combative reaction, complaint, confusion, contemn, contempt, contradict, contradiction, contrecoup, counter, counteraction, cut, cut direct, declination, decline, declining, defeat, defiance, defy, demur, denial, deny, despisal, despise, despising, disapproval, disapprove, discard, disclaim, disclamation, discomfiture, discount, discounting, discouragement, disdain, dismiss, dismissal, disown, disownment, dispute, disregard, dissent, dissentience, drive away, drive back, endure, except, exception, exclude, exclusion, fend, fend off, flat refusal, foil, forswear, fractiousness, frustration, high-hat, hinder, hold at bay, hold off, hold out, hold up, humiliation, ignore, ignoring, keep at bay, keep off, kick, kickback, negativism, nonacceptance, nonapproval, nonconsideration, noncooperation, not receive, objection, obstinacy, obstruct, opposition, pack off, parry, pass by, pass up, passing by, passive resistance, point-blank refusal, protest, push aside, push back, put back, put-down, putting away, putting out, reaction, rebound, rebut, recalcitrance, recalcitrancy, recalcitration, recant, recantation, recoil, refractoriness, refusal, refuse, refuse to consider, refuse to receive, reject, rejection, reluctance, remonstrance, renitence, renitency, renounce, renouncement, repel, repellence, repellency, repercussion, repudiate, repudiation, repulse, repulsion, resilience, resist, resistance, reversal, reverse, revolt, ricochet, rout, scout, scouting, send away, send off, send packing, setback, short shrift, shove away, slight, sneer, sniff, snort, snub, spring, spurn, spurning, stand, stand up, stave off, stop, summary negative, the cold shoulder, the go-by, throw away, throw out, throwing out, thrust back, turn aside, turn away, turn away from, turn back, turn out, turning out, uncooperativeness, upstage, waive, ward off, withstand, withstanding

ROGET THESAURUS

rebuff

Resistance

N resistance, stand, front, oppugnation, oppugnancy, opposition, renitence, renitency, reluctation, recalcitration, kicking, repulse, rebuff, insurrection, strike, turn out, lock out, barring out, levee en masse, Jacquerie, riot, resisting, resistive, resistant, refractory, recalcitrant, renitent, up in arms, repulsive, repellant, proof against, unconquerable, stubborn, unconquered, indomitable, unyielding, Int, hands off!, keep off!.

Failure

N failure, nonsuccess, nonfulfillment, dead failure, successlessness, abortion, miscarriage, brutum fulmen, labor in vain, no go, inefficacy, inefficaciousness, vain attempt, ineffectual attempt, abortive attempt, abortive efforts, flash in the pan, lame and impotent conclusion, frustration, slip 'twixt cup and lip, blunder, fault, omission, miss, oversight, slip, trip, stumble, claudication, footfall, false step, wrong step, faux pas, titubation, b_evue, faute, lurch, botchery, scrape, mess, fiasco, breakdown, flunk, mishap, split, collapse, smash, blow, explosion, repulse, rebuff, defeat, rout, overthrow, discomfiture, beating, drubbing, quietus, nonsuit, subjugation, checkmate, stalemate, fool's mate, fall, downfall, ruin, perdition, wreck, deathblow, bankruptcy, losing game, affaire flamb_ee, victim, bankrupt, flunker, flunky, unsuccessful, successless, failing, tripping, at fault, unfortunate, abortive, addle, stillborn, fruitless, bootless, ineffectual, ineffective, inconsequential, trifling, nugatory, inefficient, insufficient, unavailing, of no effect, aground, grounded, swamped, stranded, cast away, wrecked, foundered, capsized, shipwrecked, nonsuited, foiled, defeated, struck down, borne down, broken down, downtrodden, overborne, overwhelmed, all up with, ploughed, plowed, plucked, lost, undone, ruined, broken, bankrupt, played out, done up, done for, dead beat, ruined root and branch, flambe, knocked on the head, destroyed, frustrated, crossed, unhinged, disconcerted dashed, thrown off one's balance, thrown on one's back, thrown on one's beam ends, unhorsed, in a sorry plight, hard hit, stultified, befooled, dished, hoist on one's own petard, victimized, sacrificed, wide of the mark, out of one's reckoning, left in the lurch, thrown away, unattained, uncompleted, unsuccessfully, to little or no purpose, in vain, re infecta, the bubble has burst, the jig is up, the game is up, all is lost, the devil to pay, parturiunt montes, dies infaustus, tout est perdu hors l'honneur.

Refusal

N refusal, rejection, noncompliance, incompliance, denial, declining, declension, declinature, peremptory refusal, flat refusal, point blank refusal, repulse, rebuff, discountenance, recusancy, abnegation, protest, disclaimer, dissent, revocation, refusing, restive, restiff, recusant, uncomplying, unconsenting, not willing to hear of, deaf to, refused, ungranted, out of the question, not to be thought of, impossible, no, on no account, not for the world, no thank you, thanks but no thanks, non possumus, your humble servant, bien oblige, not on your life, no way, not even if you beg on your knees.

VB refuse, reject, deny, decline, turn down, nill, negative, refuse one's assent, withhold one's assent, shake the head, close the hand, close the purse, grudge, begrudge, be slow to, hang fire, pass (at cards), be deaf to, dismiss, turn a deaf ear to, turn one's back upon, set one's face against, discountenance, not hear of, have nothing to do with, wash one's hands of, stand aloof, forswear, set aside, cast behind one, not yield an inch, resist, cross, not grant, repel, repulse, shut the door in one's face, slam the door in one's face, rebuff, send back, send to the right about, send away with a flea in the ear, deny oneself, not be at home to, discard, spurn, rescind, disclaim, protest, dissent.

Discourtesy

N discourtesy, ill breeding, ill manners, bad manners, ungainly manners, insuavity, uncourteousness rusticity, inurbanity, illiberality, incivility displacency, disrespect, procacity, impudence: barbarism, barbarity, misbehavior, brutality, blackguardism, conduct unbecoming a gentleman, grossieret_e, brusquerie, vulgarity, churlishness, spinosity, perversity, moroseness, sternness, austerity, moodishness, captiousness, cynicism, tartness, acrimony, acerbity, virulence, asperity, scowl, black looks, frown, short answer, rebuff, hard words, contumely, unparliamentary language, personality, bear, bruin, brute, blackguard, beast, unlicked cub, frump, crosspatch, saucebox, crooked stick, grizzly, discourteous, uncourteous, uncourtly, ill-bred, ill-mannered, ill-behaved, ill-conditioned, unbred, unmannerly, unmannered, impolite, unpolite, unpolished, uncivilized, ungenteel, ungentleman-like, ungentlemanly, unladylike, blackguard, vulgar, dedecorous, foul- mouthed foul-spoken, abusive, uncivil, ungracious, unceremonious, cool, pert, forward, obtrusive, impudent, rude, saucy, precocious, repulsive, uncomplaisant, unaccommodating, unneighborly, ungallant, inaffable, ungentle, ungainly, rough, rugged, bluff, blunt, gruff, churlish, boorish, bearish, brutal, brusque, stern, harsh, austere, cavalier, taint, sour, crabbed, sharp, short, trenchant, sarcastic, biting, doggish, caustic, virulent, bitter, acrimonious, venomous, contumelious, snarling, surly, surly as a bear, perverse, grim, sullen, peevish, untactful, impolitic, undiplomatic, artless, discourteously, with discourtesy, with a bad grace.

Disapprobation

N disapprobation, disapproval, improbation, disesteem, disvaluation, displacency, odium, dislike, dispraise, discommendation, blame, censure, obloquy, detraction, disparagement, depreciation, denunciation, condemnation, ostracism, black list, animadversion, reflection, stricture, objection, exception, criticism, sardonic grin, sardonic laugh, sarcasm, insinuation, innuendo, bad compliment, poor compliment, left-handed compliment, satire, sneer, taunt, cavil, carping, censoriousness, hypercriticism, reprehension, remonstrance, expostulation, reproof, reprobation, admonition, increpation, reproach, rebuke, reprimand, castigation, jobation, lecture, curtain lecture, blow up, wigging, dressing, rating, scolding, trimming, correction, set down, rap on the knuckles, coup de bec, rebuff, slap, slap on the face, home thrust, hit, frown, scowl, black look, diatribe, jeremiad, jeremiade, tirade, philippic, clamor, outcry, hue and cry, hiss, hissing, sibilance, sibilation, catcall, execration, chiding, upbraiding, exprobation, abuse, vituperation, invective, objurgation, contumely, hard words, cutting words, bitter words, evil-speaking, bad language, personality, disapproving, scandalized, disparaging, condemnatory, damnatory, denunciatory, reproachful, abusive, objurgatory, clamorous, vituperative, defamatory, satirical, sarcastic, sardonic, cynical, dry, sharp, cutting, biting, severe, withering, trenchant, hard upon, censorious, critical, captious, carping, hypercritical, fastidious, sparing of praise, grudging praise, disapproved, chid, in bad odor, blown upon, unapproved, unblest, at a discount, exploded, weighed in the balance and found wanting, blameworthy, reprehensible, to blame, worthy of blame, answerable, uncommendable, exceptionable, not to be thought of, bad, vicious, unlamented, unbewailed, unpitied, with a wry face, reproachfully, Int, it is too bad!, it won't do, it will never do!, marry come up!, Oh!, come!, 'sdeath!, forbid it Heaven!, God forbid, Heaven forbid!, out upon, fie upon it!, away with!, tut!, O tempora!, O mores!, shame!, fie, fie for shame!, out on you!, tell it not in Gath!.

Recoil

N recoil, reaction, retroaction, revulsion, bounce, rebound, ricochet, repercussion, recalcitration, kick, contrecoup, springing back, elasticity, reflection, reflexion, reflex, reflux, reverberation, rebuff, repulse, return, ducks and drakes, boomerang, spring, reactionist, elastic collision, coefficient of restitution, recoiling, refluent, repercussive, recalcitrant, reactionary, retroactive, on the rebound, on the recoil, for every action there is a reaction, equal in force and opposite in direction.