pel-, -pell, -pellent, -peal

(Latin: push, beat, strike, knock, drive)

Don't confuse this pel- unit with another pel- group meaning "mud, earth, clay".

propellant (s) (noun), propellants (pl)
1. A gas used for forcing the contents out of a can: When Jane pressed on the little tab at the top of the deodoriser, the propellant caused the contents to spray out.
2. A substance that makes something move onward: In the newspaper, Adam read about propellants used for nuclear rockets.
propeller (s) (noun), propellers (pl)
1. A rounded blade that revolves in a circle: A propeller can be used to move a vehicle by pressing or pushing against air, like in a plane, or by spinning against water, like in a speed boat!
2. Something or someone that drives or forces something onward: As a propeller for the continuation of the fascinating story, the two protagonists, Jim and Carolyn, who didn't know they were actually siblings, fell in love with each other.
propelling (adjective), more propelling, most propelling
Referring to something that tends to propel: Jack suddenly had a propelling anxiety regarding his wife that immediately sent him off to find her.
repeal (verb), repeals; repealed, repealing
1. To invalidate, to annul; to abolish: In the article, the law relating to high taxes was repealed and all the citizens were happy that it was to their advantage!
2. Outdated, to bring a person back; to summon an individual: In the story, the exiled convict was repealed because it was proved that he was not the murderer after all!
repealable (adjective) (not comparable)
Capable of being revoked or annulled; revocable: The decision made during the first staff meeting was repealable, and a new decision was made in the next meeting the following month.
repealer (s) (noun), repealers (pl)
That which revokes or retracts something in an official manner: Jack's health insurance company, the repealer, withdrew their services because Jack was unemployed and had no money for the monthly payments.
repel (verb), repeld; repelled; repelling
1. To cause someone to feel intense aversion, disgust, or revulsion: The ragged old man repelled the other people waiting for the bus because he had an awful odor and swore a lot.
2. To ward something off, or to keep something away: Judy used a solvent to repel mosquitoes

The raincoat that Mike wore repeled any kind of precipitation, like water.
3. To ward off or to force back a military attack or invasion: In the novel, it was possible for the army to repel the enemy, with superior forces.
4. To fail to mix or to blend with something else: Jerry could not mix the oil and water because they repelled each other.
5. To exert a force that tends to push something away or apart: Magnets can both repel and attract one another.
6. To reject or to refuse to accept something or somebody: Everyone was repelled by the sight of the behavior of the drunken man and woman.
7. Etymology: "to drive away, to remove" came from Old French repeller, from Latin repellere, "to drive back"; from re-, "back" + pellere, "to drive, to strike".

The meaning "to affect (a person) with distaste or aversion" is from 1817; while, the adjective "repellent" is recorded from 1643, from Latin repellentem, preposition of repellere; originally a reference to medicines (that reduced tumors); the meanings of "distasteful, disagreeable" were first recorded in 1797. The noun sense of "a substance that repels insects" was first recorded in 1908.

repellant, repellent (s) (noun); repellants; repellents (pl)
1. The power to repel: In the story, the giant possessed enough repellant and force to fend off anything in his way.
2. A chemical substance that fend off animals: Mary had an insect repellant especially to keep off the mosquitoes while camping in the woods.
3. A compound with which fabrics are treated to wards off moisture: The raincoat that Sam bought contained a repellant to withstand any rain or water.
repellency (s) (noun), repellencies (pl)
Repugnance;; repulsion, abhorrence: Susan had great repellency for her ex-husband who had treated her badly during their short marriage.
repellent, repellant (adjective); more repellent, most repellent; more repellant, most repellant
1. Referring to something that keeps a thing off or away: A burning candle has a repellent effect on insects.
2. Concerning something that causes someone to feel disgust: Jack said, "This TV show is repellent and shouldn't be allowed because of the taskmaster' vulgarisms and personal attacks."
3. Regarding a substance that is used to keep something out or away: Sally useda can of insect spray that had a specific repellent effectiveness to kill the invading flies and mosquitoes."
repellently  (adverb), more repellently, most repellently
Concerning how someone is presented in a disgusting or offensive manner: Poor old Mr. Smith was so repellently obese and smelly that everybody avoided him.
unappealable (adjective), more unappealable, most unappealable
Regarding something that is not subject to be transferred to a higher tribunal for re-examination: The judge's decision was passed on in a preliminary inquiry, not a trial, and was consequently unappealable.
unappealably (adverb), more unappealably, most unappealably
Referring to how a judgement is not capable of being pleaded or overruled: The legal action that involved Bob was unappealably rejected and could not be carried to a higher court.
uncompellable (adjective) (not comparable)
Pertaining to the inability to urge or to force someone or an animal to do something: The donkey turned out to be uncompellable when the children tried to induce it to walk and it didn't budge one inch, even after the children gave it some tidbits to eat!

Cross references of word families that are related directly, or indirectly, to: "push, shove, thrust": osmo-; puls-; trud-.