transitive. To suspend or stop temporarily; to interrupt or cause to be interrupted; (also) to give up, bring to an end. Now rare.

transitive. To leave off, give over, discontinue (an action, practice, etc.) for a time; to suspend.

To cease (for a time) from the execution or performance of; to desist or refrain from, esp. temporarily. †Also absol. Now unusual.

quasi-transitive. To withdraw from, lose (one's ground). Also, to flinch the flagon: to let the bottle pass. to flinch one's glass: to avoid…