repel — To drive away or force back; to cause someone to feel distaste or revulsion.
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: To drive away or force back; to cause someone to feel distaste or revulsion.
Pronunciation (IPA): /rɪˈpel/
Example Sentences
- His terrible singing voice repels even the neighborhood cats.
- The waterproof jacket repels rain but attracts compliments.
- Opposite poles of magnets attract, while like poles repel each other.
repel
VERB[/rɪˈpel/]
To drive away or force back; to cause someone to feel distaste or revulsion.
While plain cotton quickly soaked through in the storm, the treated raincoat managed to repel heavy drops of rain with its slick surface.
RE (back) + PEL (push away) — by using matching magnetic poles to PEL (thrust) the steel car RE (backward), the invisible force acted to repel it.
Ringing the high bronze bell to warn the guards and quell the sudden panic, the archers fired arrows to repel the raiders.
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin 'repellere' meaning 'to drive back or push away.' Originally used in medieval warfare to describe driving back enemies, it later expanded to include any form of physical or emotional rejection.
Breakdown
re- (back/away) + pellere (to drive/push) - literally 'to push back'
🎵Rhyme
📝Examples
“His terrible singing voice repels even the neighborhood cats.”
“The waterproof jacket repels rain but attracts compliments.”
“Opposite poles of magnets attract, while like poles repel each other.”
“The army successfully repelled the enemy invasion.”
📚Related Words
Want to master 27,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.