Etymology dictionary. 2014.
abstain — ab·stain /əb stān, ab / vi: to refrain from exercising federal jurisdiction over a case: cause an abstention Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996. abstain … Law dictionary
Abstain — Ab*stain , v. t. To hinder; to withhold. [1913 Webster] Whether he abstain men from marrying. Milton. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
abstain — [ab stān′, əbstān′] vi. [ME absteinen < OFr abstenir < L abstinere, to hold back < ab(s) , from + tenere, to hold: see TENANT] to hold oneself back; voluntarily do without; refrain (from) [to abstain from smoking] SYN. REFRAIN1 abstainer … English World dictionary
Abstain — Ab*stain , v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Abstained}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Abstaining}.] [OE. absteynen, abstenen, OF. astenir, abstenir, F. abstenir, fr. L. abstinere, abstentum, v. t. & v. i., to keep from; ab, abs + tenere to hold. See {Tenable}.] To hold… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
abstain — *refrain, forbear Analogous words: *forgo, eschew, abnegate: *decline, refuse, spurn, reject: desist (see STOP) Antonyms: indulge Contrasted words: pamper (see INDULGE): *satiate … New Dictionary of Synonyms
abstain — [v] hold back from doing abjure, abnegate, avoid, cease, constrain, curb, decline, deny oneself, do without, eschew, evade, fast, fence sit*, forbear, forgo, give the go by*, give up, go on the wagon*, keep from, pass, pass up, quit, refrain,… … New thesaurus
abstain — ► VERB 1) restrain oneself from doing or indulging in something. 2) formally choose not to vote. DERIVATIVES abstainer noun. ORIGIN Latin abstinere hold from … English terms dictionary
abstain — UK [əbˈsteɪn] / US verb [intransitive] Word forms abstain : present tense I/you/we/they abstain he/she/it abstains present participle abstaining past tense abstained past participle abstained 1) a) to deliberately avoid doing something that is… … English dictionary
abstain — v. (D; intr.) to abstain from (to abstain from alcohol) * * * [əb steɪn] (D; intr.) to abstain from (to abstain from alcohol) … Combinatory dictionary
abstain — [[t]æbste͟ɪn[/t]] abstains, abstaining, abstained 1) VERB If you abstain from something, usually something you want to do, you deliberately do not do it. [FORMAL] [V from n] Abstain from sex or use condoms... Do you drink alcohol, smoke, or… … English dictionary
