REFRAIN

refrain, chorus

(noun) the part of a song where a soloist is joined by a group of singers

abstain, refrain, desist

(verb) choose not to consume; “I abstain from alcohol”

refrain, forbear

(verb) resist doing something; “He refrained from hitting him back”; “she could not forbear weeping”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology 1

Verb

refrain (third-person singular simple present refrains, present participle refraining, simple past and past participle refrained)

(transitive, archaic) To hold back, to restrain (someone or something). [from 14th c.]

(reflexive, archaic) To show restraint; to hold oneself back. [from 14th c.]

(transitive, now rare) To repress (a desire, emotion etc.); to check or curb. [from 14th c.]

(intransitive) To stop oneself from some action or interference; to abstain. [from 15th c.]

(transitive, now rare, regional) To abstain from (food or drink). [from 16th c.]

Etymology 2

Noun

refrain (plural refrains)

The chorus or burden of a song repeated at the end of each verse or stanza.

A much repeated comment, complaint, or saying.

Anagrams

• Ren fair, ferrian

Source: Wiktionary


Re*frain" (r*frn"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Refrained (-frnd"); p. pr. & vb/ n. Refraining.] Etym: [OE. refreinen, OF. refrener, F. refr, 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.

Re*frain", v. i.

Definition: 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.

Re*frain", n. Etym: [F. refrain, fr. OF. refraindre; cf. Pr. refranhs a refrain, refranher to repeat. See Refract,Refrain, v.]

Definition: 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.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

18 June 2024

PARADE

(noun) an extended (often showy) succession of persons or things; “a parade of strollers on the mall”; “a parade of witnesses”


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Coffee Trivia

According to Guinness World Records, the largest coffee shop is the Al Masaa Café, which has 1,050 seats. The coffee shop was inaugurated in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 13 August 2014.

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