abstain
verbUK /əbˈsteɪn/ · US /əbˈsteɪn/
Etymology First attested around 1380. From Middle English absteynen, absteinen, abstenen, from Old French astenir, abstenir, from Latin abstineō (“to hold oneself back”) from abs- (“from”) + teneō (“to hold”). See also tenable.
1
Obsolete Keep or withhold oneself.
2
Refrain from (something or doing something); keep from doing, especially an indulgence.
- In order to improve his health, Rob decided to abstain from smoking.
- Who abstains from meat that is not gaunt?1597, Shakespeare, Richard II, II-i:
1 more example
- The Security Council […] calls upon all Governments and authorities, without prejudice to the rights, claims or positions of the parties concerned, to abstain from any hostile military action in Palestine and to that end to issue a cease-fire order to their military and paramilitary forces22 May 1948, United Nations, Security Council Resolution 49
3
To refrain from drinking alcohol.
- … she had made Bunting abstain very early in their acquaintance. … Glad she was now that he had taken the pledge as a younger man; but for that nothing would have kept him from the drink during the bad times they had gone through.1913, Marie Adelaide Belloc Lowndes, The Lodger:
4
Obsolete Fast (not eat for a period).
5
Deliberately refrain from casting one's vote at a meeting where one is present.
- I abstain from this vote, as I have no particular preference.
- […]forcing a small portion of the population to abstain from voting1913, Thomas Babington Macaulay, A Short History of English Liberalism:
6
Obsolete Hinder; keep back; withhold.
- Whether he abstain men from marying [sic].1645, John Milton, Tetrachordon: Expositions on the four chief places in Scripture:
- Synonyms
- abjure, deny oneself, forbear, forgo, give up, refrain, relinquish, withhold
- Derived terms
- abstainable, abstainer, abstainment, abstention, nonabstaining
- Related terms
- abstemious, abstinence, abstinent