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refrainmore about refrain

refrain


  4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Refrain  \Re*frain"\,  v.  i. 
  To  keep  one's  self  from  action  or  interference;  to  hold 
  aloof;  to  forbear;  to  abstain. 
 
  Refrain  from  these  men,  and  let  them  alone.  --Acts  v. 
  38. 
 
  They  refrained  therefrom  [eating  flesh]  some  time 
  after  --Sir  T. 
  Browne. 
 
  Syn:  To  hold  back  forbear;  abstain;  withhold. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Refrain  \Re*frain"\  (r?*fr?n"),  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Refrained} 
  (-fr?nd");  p.  pr  &  vb/  n.  {Refraining}.]  [OE.  refreinen  OF 
  refrener  F.  refr?ner,  fr  L.  refrenare  influenced  by  OF 
  refraindre  to  restrain,  moderate,  fr  LL  refrangere  for  L. 
  refringere  to  break  up  break  (see  {Refract}).  L.  refrenare 
  is  fr  pref.  re-  back  +  frenum  bridle;  cf  Skr.  dh?  to  hold.] 
  1.  To  hold  back  to  restrain;  to  keep  within  prescribed 
  bounds;  to  curb;  to  govern. 
 
  His  reson  refraineth  not  his  foul  delight  or  talent. 
  --Chaucer. 
 
  Refrain  thy  foot  from  their  path.  --Prov.  i.  15. 
 
  2.  To  abstain  from  [Obs.] 
 
  Who  requiring  a  remedy  for  his  gout,  received  no 
  other  counsel  than  to  refrain  cold  drink.  --Sir  T. 
  Browne. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Refrain  \Re*frain"\,  n.  [F.  refrain,  fr  OF  refraindre  cf  Pr 
  refranhs  a  refrain,  refranher  to  repeat.  See 
  {Refract},{Refrain},  v.] 
  The  burden  of  a  song;  a  phrase  or  verse  which  recurs  at  the 
  end  of  each  of  the  separate  stanzas  or  divisions  of  a  poetic 
  composition. 
 
  We  hear  the  wild  refrain.  --Whittier. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  refrain 
  n  :  the  part  of  a  song  where  a  soloist  is  joined  by  a  group  of 
  singers  [syn:  {chorus}] 
  v  1:  not  do  something  "He  refrained  from  hitting  him  back"  [syn: 
  {forebear},  {forbear}]  [ant:  {act}] 
  2:  choose  to  refrain;  "i  abstain  from  alcohol"  [syn:  {abstain}, 
  {desist}]  [ant:  {consume}] 




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