refrain : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: refrain	by the DICT Development Group
4 results for refrain
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
refrain n the part of a song where a soloist is joined by a group of singers Synonym(s): refrain, chorus v resist doing something; "He refrained from hitting him back"; "she could not forbear weeping" Synonym(s): refrain, forbear Antonym(s): act, move choose not to consume; "I abstain from alcohol" Synonym(s): abstain, refrain, desist Antonym(s): consume, have, ingest, take, take in
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Refrain \Refrain"\ (r?fr?n"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Refrained} (-fr?nd"); p. pr. & vb/ n. {Refraining}.] [OE. refreinen, OF. refrener, F. refr[?]ner, fr. L. refrenare; influenced by OF. refraindre to restrain, moderate, fr. LL. refrangere, for L. refringere to break up, break (see {Refract}). L. refrenare is fr. pref. re- back + frenum bridle; cf. Skr. dh[?] to hold.] 1. To hold back; to restrain; to keep within prescribed bounds; to curb; to govern. His reson refraineth not his foul delight or talent. --Chaucer. Refrain thy foot from their path. --Prov. i. 15. 2. To abstain from [Obs.] Who, requiring a remedy for his gout, received no other counsel than to refrain cold drink. --Sir T. Browne.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Refrain \Refrain"\, v. i. To keep one's self from action or interference; to hold aloof; to forbear; to abstain. Refrain* from these men, and let them alone. --Acts v. 38. They refrained therefrom [eating flesh] some time after. --Sir T. Browne. Syn: To hold back; forbear; abstain; withhold.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Refrain \Re*frain"\, n. [F. refrain, fr. OF. refraindre; cf. Pr. refranhs a refrain, refranher to repeat. See {Refract},{Refrain}, v.] The burden of a song; a phrase or verse which recurs at the end of each of the separate stanzas or divisions of a poetic composition. We hear the wild refrain. --Whittier.