forbear

[ fawr-bair ]

/ fɔrˈbɛər /

verb (used with object), for·bore, for·borne, for·bear·ing.

to refrain or abstain from; desist from.

to keep back; withhold.

Obsolete. to endure.

verb (used without object), for·bore, for·borne, for·bear·ing.

to refrain; hold back.

to be patient or self-controlled when subject to annoyance or provocation.

Words nearby forbear

forasmuch as, forasmuchas, foray, forb, forbade, forbear, forbearance, forbes, forbes disease, forbes-robertson, forbid

Origin of forbear

before 900; Middle English forberen, Old English forberan. See for-, bear¹

SYNONYMS FOR forbear

1 forgo, sacrifice, renounce.

OTHER WORDS FROM forbear

for·bear·er, nounfor·bear·ing·ly, adverbnon·for·bear·ing, adjectivenon·for·bear·ing·ly, adverb

un·for·bear·ing, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for forbearers

We must all be profoundly grateful for the magnificent achievements of our forbearers in this century.
Complete State of the Union Addresses from 1790 to 2006|Various

British Dictionary definitions for forbearers (1 of 2)

forbear¹

/ (fɔːˈbɛə) /

verb -bears, -bearing, -bore or -borne

(when intr, often foll by from or an infinitive) to cease or refrain (from doing something)

archaic to tolerate or endure (misbehaviour, mistakes, etc)

Derived forms of forbear

forbearer, nounforbearingly, adverb

Word Origin for forbear

Old English forberan; related to Gothic frabairan to endure

British Dictionary definitions for forbearers (2 of 2)

forbear²

/ (ˈfɔːˌbɛə) /

noun

a variant spelling of forebear

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012