repugn, v.
(rɪˈpjuːn)
Also 4–7 repugne, (6 -pougne), 4–6 repungne, 5–6 repung(e.
[ad. F. répugner (14th c.), or L. repugnāre, f. re- re- + pugnāre to fight: cf. impugn.]
† 1. intr. To be contradictory or inconsistent. Obs.
| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. v. pr. iii. 119 (Camb. MS.), It semyth quod I to repugnen and to contraryen gretly þat god knowit byforn alle thinges, and þat ther is any freedom of liberte. 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) IV. 259 Hit repugnethe not that the chirche holdethe..Adam to haue be made of therthe the x kalendes of Aprile, and Criste to haue be incarnate the viij. kalendes of Aprile. c 1449 Pecock Repr. iii. xix. 408 If thei be considerid, tho chapitres schulen be seen forto not repugne bitwixe hem silf. 1533 More Answ. Poysoned Bk. Wks. 1121/1 Be content to knowe that goddes will, his worde, and his power, bee all one, and repugne not. 1576 Grindal Wks. (Parker Soc.) 384 Sixthly, places in the scriptures, seeming to repugn, are reconciled. 1654 Z. Coke Logick 68 Inseparable which is not easily separated from the subject, though to be separated nothing repugneth. |
† b. To be contrary or opposed to something. Obs.
| 1395 Purvey Remonstr. (1851) 131 When they ben certeyne that it repugnith to holy scripture..refuse it vtterly. 1457 Lichfield Gild Ord. (1890) 21 All other ordinaunces..which do not repunge to this ordinaunce. 1533 Frith Answ. More (1548) D iv b, I see that sainct Thomas which felt Chrystes woundes..called hym his Lorde and God, and that no texte in scripture repugneth vnto y⊇ same. 1586 T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. (1589) 546 A corrupt common-wealth is that which repugneth and is directly contrarie to that which is good and just. 1673 H. Stubbe Further Vind. Dutch War App. 73 By sundry circumventions, and such proceedings as repugned to the Union of the Provinces. |
† c. To stand against something. Obs.
| 1540–1 Elyot Image Gov. 112 The detestable practice of usurie, which utterly repugneth against all humanitee. 1571 Golding Calvin on Ps. lxxiv. 5, I (although the accent repugn against it) doubte not, but that the sence which I have set down is the native sence. |
† d. To be at variance with something. Obs.
| 1563 Homilies ii. Alms-deeds iii. (1859) 399 It is contrary to God's Word, it repugneth with his promise. 1609 Bible (Douay) Ezek. xviii. comm., It is expressly affirmed that God would have al sinners to repent,..which semeth to repugne with the former doctrin. 1662 H. Stubbe Ind. Nectar Pref., What seemed..conformable to God's word, and the primitive practise: both which..did not repugn with my designed Speculations. |
† e. To differ or vary from something. Obs.—1
| 1600 W. Watson Decacordon (1602) 285 It doth repugne from the very nature of all religious profession. |
2. To offer opposition or resistance; to resist; to be recalcitrant; to object. Now rare.
| 1382 Wyclif 1 Sam. xv. 23 For as synne of deuynynge [printed denyynge] bi deuelis is to repugne. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. i. 136 Ac of the cardinales at court, that cauȝt han Such a name,.. repugnen [1377 inpugnen] ich nelle. 1531 Elyot Gov. i. xiv, Wherfore they can nat resorte unto passetyme;..for nature repugnyng, they unneth taste anything that may be profytable. 1567 Triall Treas. (1850) 42 Yet will I prouoke, spurne, and pricke, Rebell, repugne, lashe out and kicke. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. iii. 184 Finding na man to repugne, [he] ascriues vnto him selfe the dignitie of the king. 1646 Owen Country Ess. Wks. 1851 VIII. 62 If any should dissent..I would entreat him to lay down some notes..and he shall not find me repugning. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. II. i. x, On the motion of Lameth,..and other Patriot Nobles, let the others repugn as they will. |
b. To fight, strive, or contend against a person or thing. Now rare.
| 1382 Wyclif Ezra Prol., Other while concience repugnende aȝen hemself opinli thei to-tern that thei reden priueli. 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) VII. 209 Wymundus..a man of noble eloquence, repugnede ageyne his erroures. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 65/2 For it is a synne to withstande and to repugne ayenst his lord. 1549 Coverdale, etc. Erasm. Par. 1 John 47 Therfore like as he resisteth the sonne, euen so doethe he repugne agaynste the father. 1596 L. Piot tr. Silvayn's Orator 346 Who then will judge you to be such a one, if you repugne against the will of the gods? 1675 tr. Camden's Hist. Eliz. i. (1688) 19 Against these Statutes nine Bishops in the Higher House..stifly repugned. 1858 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. iii. iii. (1872) I. 148 A Bund, or general Covenant for complaining; to repugn..against a domineering Ritterdom. |
† c. To object or offer resistance to a thing.
| 1494 Fabyan Chron. i. xiii. 14 To y{supt} repugnyth Wyllyam de Malmesbury, sayeng [etc.]. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 404, I sweare that..I shall neuer repugne to thys resignation. 1581 Savile Tacitus, Hist. i. lxxx. (1591) 45 First they murder..the seuerest of the Centurions repugning to their seditious attempts. 1644 Digby Nat. Bodies vii. (1658) 62 Bodies which repugn to the dilatation of flame, may neverthelesse have much fire enclosed in them. |
† d. Const. at a thing. Obs.
| 1529 State Papers Hen. VIII (1830) I. 339 His Grace repugned not therat, but herkened wel to it. 1586 Bright Melanch. xvi. 97 It [the heart] repugneth oft times at the strong conclusions..reason can make. |
3. trans. † a. To fight or contend against, to resist or repel (a person). Obs.
| c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. II. 68 Who þat falliþ upon þis stoon, repungning Crist or his lawe, shal be broken in his conscience. c 1470 Harding Chron. cxvii. iv, With speare and swerd eyther other so repugned With axe and dagger. 1485 Caxton Chas. Gt. 225 He aroos a lytel, & myghtyly repugned the geaunte. 1549 Coverdale, etc. Erasm. Par. 1 Tim. 7 Therefore Prynces are neyther vnhonestly to be flattered, nor sediciously repugned. 1609 Holland Amm. Marcell. xiv. ix. 19 A man gainesaying and repugning the flatterers that by whole troupes barked at him. 1635 Quarles Embl. iii. vi. 147 It is just that thy enemy should be my enemy, and that he who repugnes thee, should repugne me. |
b. To oppose, resist, or contend against (something); to repel or reject; to refute, etc. Now somewhat rare (common in 16–17th c.).
| c 1400 Destr. Troy 2670 Þai..repugnet þo pointtes with a proude wille. 1496 Dives & Paup. (W. de W.) iv. xx. 184/2 It is full peryllous to the suget to repugne the dome of his souerayn. a 1533 Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) P viij, The olde Camyll repugned the counsell of his frendes. 1578 Banister Hist. Man i. 25, I meane not hereby to repugne altogether y⊇ doctrine of so worthy a man. 1651 Wittie tr. Primrose's Pop. Err. 329 Why the use thereof should be repugned, I see no reason. 1731 Hist. Litteraria II. 577 The very nature of his Subject..repugns any such Suspicion. 1780 Earl Malmesbury Diaries & Corr. I. 273 Enervated to a degree, she repugns everything which bears the features of activity or exertion. 1833 S. Austin Charact. Goethe I. 301 The sound mind of the German nation repugned these pernicious vagaries. 1878 Coote Romans of Brit. Pref. 6 A homogeneity of race in England which truth plainly repugns. |
† c. To deny that, etc. Obs. rare—1.
| 1555 Eden Decades 84 Yet doo I not repugne that in sume caues of mountaynes, water is turned into ayer. |
† 4. To be contrary or opposed to (a thing). Obs.
| 1387–8 T. Usk Test. Love iii. ii. (Skeat) l. 158 So me thinketh truly, that free choice fully repugneth Goddes forweting. 1545 Joye Exp. Dan. vi. K viij b, So that their constitucions and actes repugne not the gospell of Christ. 1587 Holinshed Chron. (1807–8) IV. 592 To doo two things which seeme to repugne ech other. 1654 Vilvain Theol. Treat. ii. 77 Absolut Reprobation repugns right reason, and begets absurdities. 1681 Wharton Apotolesma Wks. (1683) 37 Some being utterly lost in conceipts that repugn Philosophy. |
5. a. intr. To be repugnant to (the mind). rare—1.
| 1831 T. Hope Ess. Origin Man II. 15 Where..we have only the option to believe what repugns to our intellect, or what seems..to glide most easily into the same. |
b. trans. To affect (one) with repugnance or aversion. Also absol., to cause repugnance.
| 1868 J. H. Stirling in N. Brit. Rev. XLIX. 358 Browning has a flavour of his own, of which, in the first taste, the newness repugns. 1890 ― Philos. & Theol. ii. 28 To attempt to philosophize the Christian Godhead would only repugn. 1890 Harper's Mag. Nov. 875/1 She seemed to be afraid of saying nothing: no term repugned her. |