refrain

¹

[ri-freyn]

verb (used without object)

1. to abstain from an impulse to say or do something (often followed byfrom ).

   I refrained from telling him what I thought.

   Synonyms: desist, forbear

verb (used with object)

1. Archaic.,  to curb.

refrain

²

[ri-freyn]

noun

1. a phrase or verse recurring at intervals in a song or poem, especially at the end of each stanza; chorus.

2. Music.

   1. a musical setting for the refrain of a poem.

   2. any melody.

   3. the principal, recurrent section of a rondo.

3. an often heard statement, opinion, etc..

   Today’s technology haters have a common refrain—robots are bad for society.

4. a frequently occurring situation or series of events.

   The game followed a familiar refrain: a strong first quarter start that eventually fizzles out.

refrain

¹

/ rɪˈfreɪn /

verb

1. to abstain (from action); forbear

refrain

²

/ rɪˈfreɪn /

noun

1. a regularly recurring melody, such as the chorus of a song

2. a much repeated saying or idea

refrain

1. In some pieces of verse, a set of words repeated at the end of each stanza.

Other Word Forms

• refrainer noun
• refrainment noun
• unrefrained adjective
• unrefraining adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of refrain¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English refreinen, from Old French refre(i)ner, from Latin refrēnāre “to bridle,” derivative of re- re- + frēn(um) “bridle”

Origin of refrain²

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, Middle French refreyne, from Old French refrain, derivative of refraindre “to break sequence” from Vulgar Latin refrangere (unattested) for Latin refringere “to refract ”

Word History and Origins

Origin of refrain¹

C14: from Latin refrēnāre to check with a bridle, from _re- + frēnum a bridle

Origin of refrain²

C14: via Old French, ultimately from Latin refringere to break into pieces

Example Sentences

A draw at Falkirk saw fans once again screeching for his sacking, a pretty much constant and venomous refrain in recent times.

Read more on BBC

Instead, Hamas refrained from including its traditional "red lines" in the official statement, a move many interpret as a sign of external pressure.

Read more on BBC

A common refrain among the interviewees — including Noam’s wife, Gali, who accompanied him for part of that day — is shock at the delayed response of their country’s vaunted security forces.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“How many people do you have to hurt before self-defense feels like a hollow refrain?”

Read more on Salon

He now recalls a common refrain on the job: “There is no rescue in fire. It’s all search,” Hartwig said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• abstain 
• avoid 
• cease 
• curb 
• desist 
• forgo 
• halt 
• renounce 
• resist 
• restrain