Since re- can mean not just "again" but also "back", repel means "drive back". Repel has two common adjective forms; thus, a repellent or repulsive odor may drive us into the other room.

REPEL definition: to drive or force back (an assailant, invader, etc.). See examples of repel used in a sentence.

repel verb [T] (CAUSE STRONG DISLIKE) People or things that repel you make you feel strongly that you do not want to be near, see, or think about them:

When a magnetic pole repels another magnetic pole, it gives out a force that pushes the other pole away. You can also say that two magnetic poles repel each other or that they repel.

Definition of repel verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

1. To ward off or keep away; drive back: repel insects. 2. To offer resistance to; fight against: repel an invasion. 3. To refuse to accept or submit to; reject: a company that was trying to repel a hostile …

repel, v. meanings, etymology, pronunciation and more in the Oxford English Dictionary

The word repel can be used to describe the act of driving something away, as in the case of bugs or other pesky critters, including potential suitors. It can also be used to describe something that causes …

REPEL meaning: 1 : to keep (something) out or away; 2 : to force (an enemy, attacker, etc.) to stop an attack and turn away

repel verb [T] (UNPLEASANT) If someone or something repels you, you think they are extremely unpleasant. (Definition of repel from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)