English Explanatory Dictionary

forbear

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To keep away from; to avoid; to abstain from.
  2. To refrain from proceeding; to pause; to delay.
  3. To refuse; to decline; to withsay; to unheed.
  4. To control oneself when provoked.
noun
  1. Alternative spelling of forebear.

Pronunciation

/fɔːˈbɛə/ /fɔɹˈbɛɚ/ en-us-forbear.ogg en-au-forbear.ogg /ˈfɔː.bɛə/ /ˈfɔɹ.bɛɚ/

Word forms

forbear forbears forbearing forbore forborne forborn forebear

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *pér Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *pró Proto-Indo-European *pro- Proto-Germanic *fra- Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- Proto-Indo-European *bʰéreti Proto-Germanic *beraną Proto-Germanic *fraberaną Old English forberan Middle English forberen English forbear From Middle English forberen, from Old English forberan (“to forbear, abstain from, refrain; suffer, endure, tolerate, humor; restrain; do without”), from Proto-Germanic *fraberaną (“to hold back, endure”); equivalent to for- + bear. Cognate with Old Frisian forbera (“to forfeit”), Middle High German verbërn (“to have not; abstain; refrain from; avoid”) (Cimbrian forbèeran), Gothic 𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌱𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌰𐌽 (frabairan, “to endure”).

Derived words

forbearable forbearance forbearant forbearer forbearing forbearingly
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