Adjacent Words

Recusant definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

RECU'SANT, a. s as z. [L. recusans, recuso, to refuse; re and the root of causa, signifying to drive. The primary sense is to repel or drive back.]
Refusing to acknowledge the supremacy of the king, or to conform to the established rites of the church; as a recusant lord.
RECU'SANT, n. [supra.]
1. In English history, a person who refuses to acknowledge the supremacy of the king in matters of religion; as a popish recusant, who acknowledges the supremacy of the pope.
2. One who refuses communion with the church of England; a non-conformist.
All that are recusants of holy rites.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: (of Catholics) refusing to attend services of the Church of England [syn: dissentient, recusant]
2: refusing to submit to authority; "the recusant electors...cooperated in electing a new Senate"- Mary W.Williams n
1: someone who refuses to conform to established standards of conduct [syn: nonconformist, recusant] [ant: conformist]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Latin recusant-, recusans, present participle of recusare to reject, oppose, from re- + causari to give a reason, from causa cause, reason Date: circa 1553 1. an English Roman Catholic of the time from about 1570 to 1791 who refused to attend services of the Church of England and thereby committed a statutory offense 2. one who refuses to accept or obey established authority • recusant adjective

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & adj. --n. a person who refuses submission to an authority or compliance with a regulation, esp. hist. one who refused to attend services of the Church of England. --adj. of or being a recusant. Derivatives: recusance n. recusancy n. Etymology: L recusare refuse

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Recusant Re*cu"sant, n. 1. One who is obstinate in refusal; one standing out stubbornly against general practice or opinion. The last rebellious recusants among the European family of nations. --De Quincey. 2. (Eng. Hist.) A person who refuses to acknowledge the supremacy of the king in matters of religion; as, a Roman Catholic recusant, who acknowledges the supremacy of the pope. --Brande & C. 3. One who refuses communion with the Church of England; a nonconformist. All that are recusants of holy rites. --Holyday.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Recusant Re*cu"sant (-zat; 277), a.[L. recusans, -antis, p. pr. of recure to refuse, to oject to; pref. re- re + causa a cause, pretext: cf. F. r['e]cusant. See Cause, and cf. Ruse.] Obstinate in refusal; specifically, in English history, refusing to acknowledge the supremacy of the king in the churc, or to conform to the established rites of the church; as, a recusant lord. It stated him to have placed his son in the household of the Countess of Derby, a recusant papist. --Sir W. Scott.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Dissenter, nonconformist.

Moby Thesaurus

alienated, antiestablishment, at odds with, at variance with, breakaway, contrary, counter-culture, deviant, differing, disagreeing, disobedient, dissentient, dissenting, dissident, froward, in opposition, indisciplined, lawless, naughty, nonconformable, nonconforming, nonobservant, obstinate, opposing, recalcitrant, refractory, sectarian, sectary, self-willed, transgressive, unadaptable, unadjustable, uncompliant, uncomplying, unconforming, underground, undisciplined, unduteous, undutiful, unsubmissive, violative, wayward, willful