definitions

forbear

1
[ fawr-bair ]
/ fɔrˈbɛər /
||
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR forbear ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

RELATED WORDS

gentle, forgiving, moderate, charitable, clement, considerate, easy, humane, humanitarian, indulgent, lenient, long-suffering, merciful, mild, patient, thoughtful, soft-shell

Nearby words

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

Origin of forbear

1
before 900; Middle English forberen, Old English forberan. See for-, bear1

Related forms

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

Examples from the Web for forbearing

British Dictionary definitions for forbearing (1 of 2)

forbear

1
/ (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

forbearer, nounforbearingly, adverb

Word Origin for forbear

Old English forberan; related to Gothic frabairan to endure

British Dictionary definitions for forbearing (2 of 2)

forbear

2
/ (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