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Webster 1913 Edition

Refrain

Re-frain′

(rē̍-frān′)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Refrained
(-frānd′)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Refraining
.]
[OE.
refreinen
, OF.
refrener
, F.
refréner
, 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.
dhṛ
to hold.]
1.
To hold back; to restrain; to keep within prescribed bounds; to curb; to govern.
His reason
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.

Re-frain′

,
Verb.
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.

Re-frain′

,
Noun.
[F.
refrain
, fr. OF.
refraindre
; cf. Pr.
refranhs
a refrain,
refranher
to repeat. See
Refract
,
Refrain
,
Verb.
]
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.

Webster 1828 Edition

Refrain

REFRA'IN

,
Verb.
T.
[L. refaeno; re and fraeno, to curb; fraenum, a rein. See Rein.]
To hold back; to restrain; to keep from action.
My son - refrain thy foot from their path. Prov. 1.
Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by. Gen. 45.

REFRA'IN

,
Verb.
I.
To forbear; to abstain; to keep one's self from action or interference.
Refrain from these men and let them alone. Acts 5.

REFRA'IN

,
Noun.
The burden of a song; a kind of musical repetition.

Definition 2024

Refrain

Refrain

See also: refrain

German

Noun

Refrain m ‎(genitive Refrains, plural Refrains)

  1. refrain

Derived terms

  • refrainartig

refrain

refrain

See also: Refrain

English

Verb

refrain ‎(third-person singular simple present refrains, present participle refraining, simple past and past participle refrained)

  1. (transitive, archaic) To hold back, to restrain (someone or something). [from 14th c.]
    • Proverbs i:15.
      Refrain thy foot from their path.
  2. (reflexive, archaic) To show restraint; to hold oneself back. [from 14th c.]
    • 1526, William Tyndale, trans. Bible, Acts V:
      And nowe I saye unto you: refrayne youreselves from these men, and let them alone [...].
  3. (transitive, now rare) To repress (a desire, emotion etc.); to check or curb. [from 14th c.]
    • Chaucer
      his reson aperceyueth it wel that it is synne / agayns the lawe of god / and yet his reson / refreyneth nat his foul delit or talent.
    • Bible, Proverbs i. 15
      Refrain thy foot from their path.
  4. (intransitive) To stop oneself from some action or interference; to abstain. [from 15th c.]
    • Bible, Acts v. 38
      Refrain from these men, and let them alone.
    • Sir Thomas Browne
      They refrained therefrom [eating flesh] some time after.
  5. (transitive, now rare, regional) To abstain from (food or drink). [from 16th c.]
    • Thomas Browne
      Who, requiring a remedy for his gout, received no other counsel than to refrain cold drink.
Translations

Etymology 2

From French refrain, from the Old French verb refraindre ‎(“to break off, repeat”), from Latin re- ‎(“back, again”) + frangō ‎(“break”); compare Occitan refranhs ‎(“a refrain”), refranher ‎(“to repeat”). See refract and the verb refrain.

Noun

refrain ‎(plural refrains)

  1. The chorus or burden of a song repeated at the end of each verse or stanza.
  2. A much repeated comment, complaint, or saying.
Translations

References

  • refrain in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

Anagrams

French

Pronunciation

Noun

refrain m ‎(plural refrains)

  1. refrain, chorus

Anagrams

Italian

Etymology

French

Noun

refrain m ‎(invariable)

  1. refrain

Synonyms

Anagrams

Etymology

From French refrain

Pronunciation

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