refuge
/ˈɹɛfjudʒ/
noun
Common
1.n.a safe place
“He ran to safety”
2.n.something or someone turned to for assistance or security
“his only recourse was the police”
3.n.a shelter from danger or hardship
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refuge and refuse differ by a single letter, buried far enough into the word to be easy to miss. refuge means “a safe place”. refuse means “show unwillingness towards”.
/ˈɹɛfjudʒ/
1.n.a safe place
“He ran to safety”
2.n.something or someone turned to for assistance or security
“his only recourse was the police”
3.n.a shelter from danger or hardship
/ɹəˈfjuz/
1.v.show unwillingness towards
“he declined to join the group on a hike”
2.v.refuse to accept
“He refused my offer of hospitality”
3.v.elude, especially in a baffling way
“This behavior defies explanation”
| refuge | refuse | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈɹɛfjudʒ/ | /ɹəˈfjuz/ |
| Said | REH-fyooj | ruh-FYOOZ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Letters | 6 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | noun | verb, noun |
| Senses | 4 | 7 |
| How common | Common | Common |
| Synonyms | safety | decline |
Full entry for refuge · Full entry for refuse · More comparisons