REFRAINING
Verb
refraining
present participle of refrain
Noun
refraining (plural refrainings)
The act of one who refrains from doing something.
Source: Wiktionary
REFRAIN
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