refrain
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re·frain 1
(rĭ-frān′)intr.v.
To hold oneself back; forbear from doing something: refrained from swearing.
[Middle English refreinen, from Old French refrener, to restrain, from Latin refrēnāre : re-, re- + frēnāre, to restrain (from frēnum, bridle, from frendere, to grind; see ghrendh- in Indo-European roots).]
re·frain′er n.
re·frain′ment n.
re·frain 2
(rĭ-frān′)n.
1.
a. A phrase, verse, or group of verses repeated at intervals throughout a song or poem, especially at the end of each stanza.
b. Music for the refrain of a song.
2. A song or melody.
3. A repeated utterance or theme.
[Middle English refrein, from Old French refrain, alteration of refrait, past participle of refraindre, to break off, repeat, from Vulgar Latin *refrangere, to break off, alteration of Latin refringere; see refract.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
refrain
(rɪˈfreɪn)vb
(usually foll by: from) to abstain (from action); forbear
[C14: from Latin refrēnāre to check with a bridle, from re- + frēnum a bridle]
reˈfrainer n
reˈfrainment n
refrain
(rɪˈfreɪn)n
1. (Music, other) a regularly recurring melody, such as the chorus of a song
2. a much repeated saying or idea
[C14: via Old French, ultimately from Latin refringere to break into pieces]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
re•frain1
(rɪˈfreɪn)v.i.
1. to keep oneself from doing or saying something (often fol. by from).
v.t. 2. Archaic. to curb.
[1300–50; Middle English refreinen < Old French refrener < Latin refrēnāre to rein in, restrain =re- re- + -frēnāre, v. derivative of frēnum bridle]
re•frain′ment, n.
re•frain2
(rɪˈfreɪn)n.
1. a phrase or verse recurring at intervals in a song or poem, esp. at the end of each stanza; chorus.
2.
a. a musical setting for a poetic refrain.
b. melody; tune.
c. the recurrent section of a rondo.
[1325–75; Middle English refreyne < Old French refrain, n. derivative of refraindre to break sequence < Vulgar Latin *refrangere, for Latin refringere to break back]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
refrain
- ballade - A verse or poem made up of three stanzas of equal length with a recurrent line or refrain at the end of each of the stanzas.
- condone - From Latin condonare, "refrain from punishing," it does not mean "approve of, endorse"; it means "let something pass without interference even though you probably disapprove," or "pardon, forgive, overlook."
- burden, refrain, chorus - The burden is the main theme or gist of a speech, book, or argument—or the refrain or chorus of a song.
- deport - The earliest sense of deport was "bear with; refrain."
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
refrain
Past participle: refrained
Gerund: refraining
| Imperative |
|---|
| refrain |
| refrain |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
refrain
A phrase, line, or group of lines repeated through a poem, usually at the end of each stanza.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. | refrain - the part of a song where a soloist is joined by a group of singers music - an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner |
| Verb | 1. | refrain - resist doing something; "He refrained from hitting him back"; "she could not forbear weeping" leave alone, leave behind, leave - leave unchanged or undisturbed or refrain from taking; "leave it as is"; "leave the young fawn alone"; "leave the flowers that you see in the park behind" let it go - not act; "He thought of a reply but let it go" abstain - refrain from voting help oneself, help - abstain from doing; always used with a negative; "I can't help myself--I have to smoke"; "She could not help watching the sad spectacle" stand by - not act or do anything; "He just stood by when the police beat up the demonstrators" sit out - not participate in (an activity, such as a dance or a sports event); "He sat out the game" |
| 2. |  refrain - choose not to consume; "I abstain from alcohol"fast - abstain from eating; "Before the medical exam, you must fast" fast - abstain from certain foods, as for religious or medical reasons; "Catholics sometimes fast during Lent" keep off, avoid - refrain from certain foods or beverages; "I keep off drugs"; "During Ramadan, Muslims avoid tobacco during the day" teetotal - practice teetotalism and abstain from the consumption of alcoholic beverages |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
refrain
1verb stop, avoid, give up, cease, do without, renounce, abstain, eschew, leave off, desist, forbear, kick (informal) She refrained from making any comment.
refrain
2Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
refrain
verbThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
لازِمَهيَمْتَنِع عن
refrénzdržet se
refrænundladeomkvæd
kertosäe
halda aftur af sérviîlag, stef
atturētiespiedziedājums
refrain
1 [rɪˈfreɪn] N (Mus) → estribillo mhis constant refrain is → siempre está con la misma canción ...
refrain
2 [rɪˈfreɪn] VI to refrain from sth/from doing sth → abstenerse de algo/de hacer algoI couldn't refrain from laughing → no pude contener la risa
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
refrain
[rɪˈfreɪn] vi → s'abstenir
to refrain from doing sth → s'abstenir de faire qch
to refrain from sth → s'abstenir de qch
to refrain from doing sth → s'abstenir de faire qch
to refrain from sth → s'abstenir de qch
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
refrain
1vi please refrain! → bitte unterlassen Sie das!; he refrained from comment → er enthielt sich eines Kommentars; they refrained from such actions → sie sahen von einem solchen Vorgehen ab; I couldn’t refrain from laughing → ich konnte mir das Lachen nicht verkneifen; kindly refrain from saying that in front of the children → würden Sie das bitte nicht vor den Kindern sagen; please refrain from smoking → bitte nicht rauchen!
refrain
2n (Mus, Poet, fig) → Refrain m
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
refrain
1 [rɪˈfreɪn] n (Mus) → ritornello, refrain m invrefrain
2 [rɪˈfreɪn] vi to refrain from sth/from doing sth → astenersi or trattenersi da qc/dal fare qcCollins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
refrain1
(rəˈfrein) noun a line of words or music repeated regularly in a song, especially at the end of or after each verse; a chorus.
refrain2
(rəˈfrein) verb (with from) not to do; to avoid. You are asked to refrain from smoking / from (drinking) alcohol.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.