 鲜花( 152)  鸡蛋( 1)
|
In some contexts, "to reject something" can mean very much the same as "to refuse something". For example:
4 l+ W& F+ j5 l/ c; R0 Q. n8 z( u! \! q# h$ h @( Z! Y
"She refused the gift." ~ "She rejected the gift."# _2 t+ j) P7 s8 Z/ Q
o; M- Q- G4 K- u; O4 T
"She refused the offer of help." ~ "She rejected the offer of help."
# |; }5 X, `0 k P6 X% U- H4 ^2 _5 E2 L2 _
In other contexts, "to reject something" implies that something is taken into one's possession, or is under one's consideration, but is then a decision is subsequently taken to return or discard it. In these cases, "reject" is often preferred to "refuse". For example:
1 r7 Y* m( d ?$ F/ h& S/ F; H. e/ Y$ x {' ^ X
"The company has rejected our latest batch of components."
1 Y7 h, Y7 g9 Z! Q$ O6 F8 P& a' @1 S$ Z- a
"He rejected my idea."4 d6 A; S; \1 @+ Y6 m
* V! d; T: x7 ?- B
"I applied for the job but was rejected."
) l" g4 k% o, N* S/ K1 W/ m$ K; v8 A0 g7 S
Some other differences that come to mind:0 r0 `* ~* j# _ W1 h+ K# \& u
& ^! k0 q8 D8 Z"refuse" can be used with an infinitive (e.g. "She refused to go."), but "reject" can't.8 ]6 j' i: X% c' [8 c
* W: v) x4 [4 b8 n! P* T"refuse" can be used intransitively ("She refused.") but "reject" can't.
6 Z8 A3 y0 _+ k& m" [, ?' k+ j6 a+ U R7 L0 F4 r& g
You can be "refused something" (e.g. "She was refused entry.") but not "rejected something". |
|