rebuff

Etymology 1

From obsolete French rebuffer, from Middle French rebuffer (compare French rebiffer (“to rise up, revolt”)), from Italian ribuffare.

noun

1. A sudden resistance or refusal.
   And it is symptomatic of the many paradoxes of Lederer's life that of all the people in the room, Brotherhood is the one whom he would most wish to serve, if ever he had the opportunity, even though — or perhaps because — his occasional efforts to ingratiate himself with his adopted hero have met with iron rebuff. 1986, John le Carré, A Perfect Spy
   He was surprised by her quick rebuff to his proposal.
2. Repercussion, or beating back.

verb

1. To refuse; to offer sudden or harsh resistance; to turn down or shut out.
   The plaque (2014) doesn't tell you that Leonard [Woolf] had initially been rebuffed. His intended proposal was refused by Virginia [Woolf to be], who then had a change of heart. September 22 2021, Stephen Roberts, “The writings on the wall...”, in RAIL, number 940, page 71

Etymology 2

re- + buff

verb

1. (transitive) To buff again.