Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- Having the effect of repelling, physically or morally; having power to repel; able or tending to repel; repulsive.
- Specifically, capable of repelling water; water-proof: as, repellent cloth or paper.
- noun In medicine, an agent which is used to prevent or reduce a swelling. Astringents, ice, cold water, etc., are repellents.
- noun A kind of water-proof cloth.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Driving back; able or tending to repel.
- noun That which repels.
- noun (Med.) A remedy to repel from a tumefied part the fluids which render it tumid.
- noun A kind of waterproof cloth.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective
tending orable torepel - adjective
repulsive , inspiringaversion - adjective
resistant orimpervious tosomething - noun
someone who repels - noun a
substance used to repelinsects - noun a substance or
treatment for afabric etc to make it impervious to something
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective highly offensive; arousing aversion or disgust
- noun a chemical substance that repels animals
- noun the power to repel
- adjective serving or tending to repel
- adjective incapable of absorbing or mixing with
- noun a compound with which fabrics are treated to repel water
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Report: Deet, popular and potent insect repellent, is neurotoxic
Boing Boing 2009
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Tick repellent is also available. $8; 507-263-2885; robinson outdoors. com
10 Cover Scents and Scent Eliminators Recommended by Field & Stream 2005
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Mosquitoes are night creatures, too, so insect repellent is a must (on you but never your bait).
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The life of cities will always appear to them artificial, repellent from the physical conditions it imposes and the mental outlook resulting from these.
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While my friend found the word repellent and would swoop down on one of her children for using it, she felt like the teacher deserved a pass.
ajc.com - News 2009
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I find Palin repellent for many reasons, most of all her proud no-nothingism and, on a personal level, where her children seem to be ending up in life and how that reflects on the values she’s taught them.
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The sheep use it as a natural water repellent, which is lovely for them, but I found it to be sticky, oily, and totally unfit for my bundle of joy.
Chicken Soup for the Soul: New Moms Jack Canfield 2011
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The sheep use it as a natural water repellent, which is lovely for them, but I found it to be sticky, oily, and totally unfit for my bundle of joy.
Chicken Soup for the Soul: New Moms Jack Canfield 2011
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It's hard to pick the right adjective -- I prefer "preposterous" over "ugly" or "repellent" -- but there is something preposterous at the core of contemporary political thinking on both sides.
"Is it possible that there might be something really ugly at the core of contemporary liberalism?" Ann Althouse 2009
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In no way to my surprise, its taste turned out to be in utter conformity with its other attributes—which is to say, repellent in the extreme.
Nevermore Harold Schechter 1999
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