From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
repulse
n 1: an instance of driving away or warding off [syn: rebuff,
snub, repulse]
v 1: force or drive back; "repel the attacker"; "fight off the
onslaught"; "rebuff the attack" [syn: repel, repulse,
fight off, rebuff, drive back]
2: be repellent to; cause aversion in [syn: repel, repulse]
[ant: appeal, attract]
3: cause to move back by force or influence; "repel the enemy";
"push back the urge to smoke"; "beat back the invaders" [syn:
repel, drive, repulse, force back, push back, beat
back] [ant: attract, draw, draw in, pull, pull in]