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

But on Friday, on the opening day of an autumn festival, the 64-year-old sent an offering and reports said she was likely to refrain from visiting in order not to upset Japan's neighbours.

Read more on Barron's

“Touch grass” has become a common refrain in the digital age, a reminder to the terminally online to go outside and experience the real world, if only briefly.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

They echoed Roberts’ argument that things have changed in the South, and the age-old refrain of Supreme Court racial recidivists: Surely, these special protections must stop sometime.

Read more on Salon

The 39 scientists of the endangerment study at least refrain from the outright fraud of failing to distinguish net from gross.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The African Union's security council called Monday for all armed forces "to return to uphold their constitutional mandate, and to refrain from meddling in the political affairs of the country".

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

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