576　refuse，decline和reject

① refuse指不肯做某事或接受某物，语气较重，态度坚决。

He resolutely refused their bribe. 他断然拒绝接受他们的贿赂。

The boy refused to go home. 这男孩不肯回家。

She does not refuse the child anything. 孩子要什么，她都不拒绝。

提示

refuse后面不可跟that从句。

② decline指婉言谢绝他人的帮助或邀请等。

We had to decline their invitation because we had made other plans. 我们不得不谢绝他们的邀请，因为我们另有计划。

He declined（=refused）to say anything definitely about his plan. 他不肯明确地说出他到底有些什么计划。

提示

①decline在与不定式连用时，相当于一般的拒绝，与refuse常可通用。

②decline不能以人作宾语，不说I declined him.或He was declined.这是与refuse不同的地方。

③ reject指认为某事/物无用或不合适而不接受；还有“丢弃，驳回，抛弃”等含义，比refuse语气强，后接名词。

He rejected our help. 他拒绝我们的帮助。

The government rejected the diplomatic note. 该政府拒绝接受那份外交照会。

The Flat Earth theory was rejected centuries ago. 地平说在几个世纪以前就遭到了驳斥。

She felt rejected by society. 她感到被社会抛弃了。