Idioms

refuse to do

refuse to (do something)

To indicate or express that one is unwilling or determined not to do something. He refused to sign the contract because he would have to relinquish creative control of the project. I tried to call to apologize to her, but she's refusing to answer her phone.
See also: refuse, to
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

refuse to do something

to reject doing something; to reject a request to do something. I absolutely refuse to go there! We all refused to break the law.
See also: refuse, to
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
See also:
References in periodicals archive
If they refuse to do anything, the member religious should cancel their membership.
For priests, whose calling is one of sacrifice, self-negation, and bearing witness, to refuse to do the same is a blot on their mission.
Other readers felt the center should refuse to do the test.
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