Refuse to ridicule (5)
I believe the answer is:
chaff
I believe this is a double definition.
'refuse' is the first definition.
(I've seen this before)
'ridicule' is the second definition.
(thesaurus)
'to' is the link.
(Other definitions for chaff that I've seen before include "something worth little" , "fodder" , "Tease in good-humoured way" , "Corn husks - worthless stuff" , "Rubbish" .)