Thesaurus: refrain

Related headwords

Definitions

1. v. t. To hold back; to restrain; to keep within prescribed bounds; to curb; to govern.
2. v. t. To abstain from
3. v. i. To keep one's self from action or interference; to hold aloof; to forbear; to abstain.
4. 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.
5. n. the part of a song where a soloist is joined by a group of singers
6. v. resist doing something
7. v. choose not to consume
8. 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. 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. 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.
9. 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.
10. n:34/v:66 n. the part of a song where a soloist is joined by a group of singers v. resist doing something