Synonyms Examples Word Origin
See more synonyms for refrain on Thesaurus.com verb (used without object) to abstain from an impulse to say or do something (often followed by from ): I refrained from telling him what I thought. Show More
Origin of refrain 1 1300–50; Middle English refreinen <
Old French refrener <
Latin refrēnāre to bridle, equivalent to
re- re- +
frēn(um ) bridle +
-āre infinitive suffix
Related forms re·frain·er , noun re·frain·ment , noun un·re·frained , adjective un·re·frain·ing , adjective Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words for refrained abstain ,
halt ,
renounce ,
avoid ,
forgo ,
resist ,
desist ,
cease ,
restrain ,
curb ,
forbear ,
quit ,
inhibit ,
pass ,
stop ,
withhold ,
arrest ,
eschew ,
interrupt ,
keep Examples from the Web for refrained Contemporary Examples of refrained Fearing another backlash, however, the government has refrained from doing so.
He later reported that he “from decency, refrained from asking her about Tupac.”
Politico at least has refrained from giving us a headline praising Ryan today.
There were gun advocates in that room who waited for their turn to be heard and who refrained from confronting a grieving man.
This time around, when he came to New York in September, he refrained from making a prediction, lest he be wrong again.
Historical Examples of refrained They refrained from going to the bottom of facts and motives.
The two women were rather startled, but refrained from all protestation.
Ah, when I think that I once raised my revolver to shoot you and refrained !
Impatient to glance behind, she only refrained for prudential reasons.
Brazzier was quick to comprehend the situation, and he refrained .
British Dictionary definitions for refrained (intr usually foll by from ) to abstain (from action); forbear Show More
Derived Forms refrainer , noun refrainment , noun Word Origin for refrain C14: from Latin refrēnāre to check with a bridle, from re- + frēnum a bridle
a regularly recurring melody, such as the chorus of a song a much repeated saying or idea Show More
Word Origin for refrain C14: via Old French, ultimately from Latin refringere to break into pieces
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Word Origin and History for refrained v. mid-14c., from Old French refraigner "restrain, repress, keep in check" (12c., Modern French Réfréner ), from Latin refrenare "to bridle, hold in with a bit, check, curb, keep down, control," from re- "back" (see re- ) + frenare "restrain, furnish with a bridle," from frenum "a bridle." Related: Refrained ; refraining .
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n. late 14c., from Old French refrain "chorus" (13c.), alteration of refrait , noun use of past participle of refraindre "repeat," also "break off," from Vulgar Latin *refrangere "break off," alteration of Latin refringere "break up, break open" (see refraction ) by influence of frangere "to break." Influenced in French by cognate Provençal refranhar "singing of birds, refrain." The notion is of something that causes a song to "break off" then resume. OED says not common before 19c.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
In some pieces of verse , a set of words repeated at the end of each stanza .
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The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
