refrain
verb
[ rɪˈfreɪn ]
• stop oneself from doing something.
• "she refrained from comment"
Similar:
abstain,
desist,
hold back,
stop oneself,
withhold,
forbear,
forgo,
do without,
dispense with,
resist the temptation to,
avoid,
steer clear of,
give a wide berth to,
have nothing to do with,
fight shy of,
eschew,
shun,
renounce,
forswear,
abjure,
leave alone,
not touch,
reject,
stop,
cease,
finish,
discontinue,
give up,
break off,
drop,
quit,
leave off,
kick,
swear off,
jack in,
forsake,
Origin:
Middle English (in the sense ‘restrain a thought or feeling’): from Old French refrener, from Latin refrenare, from re- (expressing intensive force) + frenum ‘bridle’.
refrain
noun
• a repeated line or number of lines in a poem or song, typically at the end of each verse.
Origin:
late Middle English: from Old French, from refraindre ‘break’, based on Latin refringere ‘break up’ (because the refrain ‘broke’ the sequence).
