abstain
verb (used without object)
to hold oneself back voluntarily, especially from something regarded as improper or unhealthy (usually followed byfrom ).
were abstaining
-
past progressiveof abstain.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It is not yet known how many of those were abstaining, as some MPs may have been absent for another reason.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2024
Later cables showed these reports to have been fiction, and indicated that Feng and Chang, out of deference to the Powers, were abstaining from immediate warlike engagements in the vicinity of Peking.
From Time Magazine Archive
