English Explanatory Dictionary

refrain

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To hold back, to restrain (someone or something).
  2. To show restraint; to hold oneself back.
  3. To repress (a desire, emotion etc.); to check or curb.
  4. To stop oneself from some action or interference; to abstain; to eschew
  5. To abstain from (food or drink).
noun
  1. The chorus or burden of a song repeated at the end of each verse or stanza.
  2. A much repeated comment, complaint, or saying.

Pronunciation

/ɹɪˈfɹeɪn/ en-us-refrain.ogg

Word forms

refrain refrains refraining refrained

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English refreynen, from Anglo-Norman refrener, Old French refrener, from Latin refrēnāre, from re- + frēnāre, from frēnum.

Synonyms

hold old saw

Derived words

refrainer refrainment unrefraining

Translations

Arabic: اِمْتَنَعَ Azerbaijani: saqınmaq Bulgarian: въздържам се Chinese Mandarin: 避免 Chinese Mandarin: 戒除 Czech: zdržet se Czech: vyvarovat se Czech: upustit Czech: vyhnout se Danish: afholde sig Danish: afstå Dutch: zich onthouden Finnish: pidättyä French: s'abstenir German: sich enthalten German: verzichten German: absehen German: unterlassen German: sich zurückhalten German: Abstand nehmen Italian: astenersi Japanese: 慎む Japanese: 差し控える Latin: parcō Māori: wainamu Norwegian Bokmål: avholde seg Norwegian Bokmål: avstå Polish: powstrzymywać się Polish: powstrzymać się Portuguese: abster-se (de) Slovene: vzdržati se Spanish: abstenerse Spanish: prescindir Spanish: inhibirse Swedish: avhålla sig Swedish: avstå Swedish: låta bli Swedish: dra sig för Ukrainian: утри́муватися Ukrainian: утри́матися
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