2. That which shelters or protects from danger, or from distress or calamity; a stronghold which protects by its strength, or a sanctuary which secures safety by its sacredness; a place inaccessible to an enemy. The high hills are a refuger the wild goats. Ps. civ. 18. The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed. Ps. ix. 9.
3. An expedient to secure protection or defense; a device or contrivance. Their latest refuge Was to send him. Shak. Light must be supplied, among gracefulrefuges, by terracing Sir H. Wotton. Cities of refuge (Jewish Antiq.), certain cities appointed as places of safe refuge for persons who had committed homicide without design. Of these there were three on each side of Jordan. Josh. xx. — House of refuge, a charitable institution for giving shelter and protection to the homeless, destitute, or tempted.
Syn.
— Shelter; asylum; retreat; covert.
REFUGE
Ref"uge (rf"j), v. t.
Defn: To shelter; to protect. [Obs.]
REFUGEE Ref`u*gee" (rf`*j"), n. Etym: [F. réfugié, fr. se réfugier to take refuge. See Refuge, n.]
1. One who flees to a shelter, or place of safety.
2. Especially, one who, in times of persecution or political commotion, flees to a foreign power or country for safety; as, the French refugees who left France after the revocation of the edict of Nantes.
REFULGENCE; REFULGENCY
Re*ful"gence, Re*ful"gen*cy, n. Etym: [L. refulgentia. See
Refulgent.]
Defn: The quality of being refulgent; brilliancy; splender; radiance.