revulsion

French révulsion, Latin revulsio.

• IPA^(key): /ɹɪˈvʌlʃən/, /ɹəˈvʌlʃən/

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• Hyphenation: re‧vul‧sion

revulsion (usually uncountable, plural revulsions)

1. Abhorrence, a sense of loathing, intense aversion, repugnance, repulsion, horror.
2. A sudden violent feeling of disgust.
3. (medicine) The treatment of one diseased area by acting elsewhere; counterirritation.
4. (obsolete) A strong pulling or drawing back; withdrawal.
   • 1642, Tho[mas] Browne, “(please specify the page)”, in Religio Medici. […], 4th edition, London: […] E. Cotes for Andrew Crook […], published 1656, →OCLC:

     Revulsions and pull-backs.

   • 1858, “Our Window”, in Emerson's Magazine and Putnam's Monthly‎, volume 6, page 329:

     The recent financial revulsion has revealed the feeble basis on which credit now stands […]

5. (obsolete) A sudden reaction; a sudden and complete change of the feelings.
   • 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “The Result”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 234:

     We resolve, and our resolutions melt away with a word and a look: we are the toys of an emotion. And yet I think Norbourne was right in his sudden revulsion in favour of his uncle. We are rarely wrong when we act from impulse.

   • 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter 1, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volumes (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:

     A sudden and violent revulsion of feeling, both in the Parliament and the country, followed.

• revulsive