The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Repel \Re**pel"\ (r?-p?l"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Repelled
   (-p?ld"); p. pr. & vb. n. Repelling.] [L. repellere,
   repulsum; pref. re- re- + pellere to drive. See Pulse a
   beating, and cf. Repulse, Repeal.]
   1. To drive back; to force to return; to check the advance
      of; to repulse as, to repel an enemy or an assailant.
      [1913 Webster]

            Hippomedon repelled the hostile tide. --Pope.
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            They repelled each other strongly, and yet attracted
            each other strongly.                  --Macaulay.
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   2. To resist or oppose effectually; as, to repel an assault,
      an encroachment, or an argument.
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            [He] gently repelled their entreaties. --Hawthorne.
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   Syn: Tu repulse; resist; oppose; reject; refuse.
        [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Repel \Re*pel"\, v. i.
   To act with force in opposition to force impressed; to
   exercise repulsion.
   [1913 Webster] Repellence

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

repel
    v 1: 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]
    2: be repellent to; cause aversion in [syn: repel, repulse]
       [ant: appeal, attract]
    3: force or drive back; "repel the attacker"; "fight off the
       onslaught"; "rebuff the attack" [syn: repel, repulse,
       fight off, rebuff, drive back]
    4: reject outright and bluntly; "She snubbed his proposal" [syn:
       rebuff, snub, repel]
    5: fill with distaste; "This spoilt food disgusts me" [syn:
       disgust, gross out, revolt, repel]