abstain

verb

ab·stain əb-ˈstān How to pronounce abstain (audio)

ab-

abstained; abstaining; abstains

intransitive verb

: to choose not to do or have something : to refrain deliberately and often with an effort of self-denial from an action or practice

abstain from drinking

: to choose not to vote

Ten members voted for the proposal, six members voted against it, and two abstained.

abstainer noun

Did you know?

If you abstain, you're consciously, and usually with effort, choosing to hold back from doing something that you would like to do. One may abstain from a vice, for example, or in parliamentary procedure, one might abstain from placing a vote. So it's no surprise that abstain traces back through Middle English and Anglo-French to the Latin abstinēre, which combines the prefix ab- ("from, away, off") with tenēre, a Latin verb meaning "to hold." Tenēre has many offspring in English—other descendants include contain, detain, maintain, obtain, pertain, retain, and sustain, as well as some words that don't end in -tain, such as tenacious. Abstain, like many of its cousins, has been used by English speakers since at least the 14th century.

Example Sentences

Ten members voted for the proposal, six members voted against it, and two abstained.

Recent Examples on the Web While 28 African nations voted in favor of the resolution, a significant minority of countries on the continent – 25 – either voted to abstain or did not vote at all.

Andrew Meldrum And Mogomotsi Magome, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 July 2022 However, this logic often isn't applied to those who choose to abstain.

Jenna Ryu, USA TODAY, 24 May 2022 At the Tuesday meeting, Assembly members John Weddleton and Jamie Allard refused to vote, leaving the room to abstain.

Emily Goodykoontz, Anchorage Daily News, 5 Feb. 2022 That's twice as many as those in the placebo group who were able to abstain, Bogenschutz said.

Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 24 Aug. 2022 Later, their father encouraged them to abstain from drinking, and Beau took these warnings to heart.

Adam Entous, The New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2022 At his arraignment Wednesday, Griffiths was given bail of $10,000 and ordered to abstain from alcohol, submit to random testing, and wear an alcohol-monitoring bracelet, prosecutors said.

Jeremy C. Fox, BostonGlobe.com, 29 July 2022 If someone wants to avoid probing questions about their alcohol consumption, there are some ways to abstain from drinking without being obvious.

Amy Haneline, USA TODAY, 22 July 2022 Barkley fully intended to abstain from playing in an NBA All-Star game due to be held in Charlotte.

Philip Ellis, Men's Health, 20 July 2022 See More

单词	abstains
释义	abstain verb ab·stain əb-ˈstān ab- abstained; abstaining; abstains intransitive verb 1 : to choose not to do or have something : to refrain deliberately and often with an effort of self-denial from an action or practice abstain from drinking 2 : to choose not to vote Ten members voted for the proposal, six members voted against it, and two abstained. abstainer noun Did you know? If you abstain, you're consciously, and usually with effort, choosing to hold back from doing something that you would like to do. One may abstain from a vice, for example, or in parliamentary procedure, one might abstain from placing a vote. So it's no surprise that abstain traces back through Middle English and Anglo-French to the Latin abstinēre, which combines the prefix ab- ("from, away, off") with tenēre, a Latin verb meaning "to hold." Tenēre has many offspring in English—other descendants include contain, detain, maintain, obtain, pertain, retain, and sustain, as well as some words that don't end in -tain, such as tenacious. Abstain, like many of its cousins, has been used by English speakers since at least the 14th century. Synonyms abjure forbear forgo forego keep (from) refrain (from) withhold (from) See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Ten members voted for the proposal, six members voted against it, and two abstained. Recent Examples on the Web While 28 African nations voted in favor of the resolution, a significant minority of countries on the continent – 25 – either voted to abstain or did not vote at all. Andrew Meldrum And Mogomotsi Magome, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 July 2022 However, this logic often isn't applied to those who choose to abstain. Jenna Ryu, USA TODAY, 24 May 2022 At the Tuesday meeting, Assembly members John Weddleton and Jamie Allard refused to vote, leaving the room to abstain. Emily Goodykoontz, Anchorage Daily News, 5 Feb. 2022 That's twice as many as those in the placebo group who were able to abstain, Bogenschutz said. Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 24 Aug. 2022 Later, their father encouraged them to abstain from drinking, and Beau took these warnings to heart. Adam Entous, The New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2022 At his arraignment Wednesday, Griffiths was given bail of $10,000 and ordered to abstain from alcohol, submit to random testing, and wear an alcohol-monitoring bracelet, prosecutors said. Jeremy C. Fox, BostonGlobe.com, 29 July 2022 If someone wants to avoid probing questions about their alcohol consumption, there are some ways to abstain from drinking without being obvious. Amy Haneline, USA TODAY, 22 July 2022 Barkley fully intended to abstain from playing in an NBA All-Star game due to be held in Charlotte. Philip Ellis, Men's Health, 20 July 2022 See More Word History Etymology Middle English absteinen, abstenen, borrowed from Anglo-French asteign-, absteign-, stem of astenir, abstenir, borrowed (with conjugation change, conformed to tenir) from Latin abstinēre "to keep from, hold back, refrain, withhold oneself from," from abs- (variant of ab- ab- before c- and t-) + tenēre "to hold, occupy, possess" — more at tenant entry 1 First Known Use 14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Kids Definition abstain verb ab·stain əb-ˈstān abstained; abstaining : to choose not to do or have something abstain from voting Medical Definition abstain intransitive verb ab·stain əb-ˈstān, ab- : to refrain deliberately and often with an effort of self-denial from an action or practice (as consumption of a food or a drug or indulgence in sexual intercourse) Legal Definition abstain intransitive verb ab·stain əb-ˈstān, ab- : to refrain from exercising federal jurisdiction over a case : cause an abstention federal courts should normally abstain from intervening in pending court-martial proceedings Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, 548 U.S. 557 (2006) abstains verb present tense third-person singular of abstain as in refuses Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance refuses rejects hesitates turns down declines vacillates halts delays stalls temporizes wavers waffles shilly-shallies Antonyms & Near Antonyms chooses determines decides resolves concludes settles (on or upon) opts figures elects names prefers decrees selects rules picks culls handpicks singles (out) See More
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abstain

verb

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

verb

Medical Definition

intransitive verb

Legal Definition

intransitive verb

verb