Meaning

6 senses
  1. (intransitive)Refrain from (something or doing something); keep from doing, especially an indulgence.

    In order to improve his health, Rob decided to abstain from smoking.

    sich enthalten

    возде́рживатьсяvozdérživatʹsja, воздержа́тьсяvozderžátʹsja

    утри́муватисяutrýmuvatysja, утри́матисяutrýmatysja

    refrain from voting

  2. Refrain from (something or doing something); keep from doing, especially an indulgence.

    (intransitive)To refrain from drinking alcohol.

  3. (intransitive)Deliberately refrain from casting one's vote at a meeting where one is present.

    I abstain from this vote, as I have no particular preference.

  4. (obsolete, reflexive, transitive)Keep or withhold oneself.

  5. (intransitive, obsolete)Fast (not eat for a period).

  6. (obsolete, transitive)Hinder; keep back; withhold.

    abhalten

Examples

57 sentences
  1. The doctor has ordered the patient to abstain from wine.

    Лікар наказав пацієнтові утриматись від уживання вина.

    ruДоктор предписал пациенту отказаться от вина.

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  2. She abstains from drinking.

    Вона обмежує себе у спиртному.

    ruОна воздерживается от спиртного.

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  3. Tom abstained from voting.

    Том утримався від голосування.

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  4. My father tries to abstain from drinking.

    ruМой отец пытается воздержаться от питья.

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  5. The doctor advised Tom to abstain from drinking.

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Translations

8 languages
Українська
By meaning 1
refrain from — see also refrain:
Русский
By meaning 1
refrain from voting:
Deutsch
By meaning 3
refrain from — see also refrain:
refrain from voting:
hinder, withhold:

Origin

First attested around 1380. From Middle English absteynen, absteinen, abstenen, from Old F

First attested around 1380. From Middle English absteynen, absteinen, abstenen, from Old French astenir, abstenir, from Latin abstineō (“to hold oneself back”) from abs- (“from”) + teneō (“to hold”). See also tenable.

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

abstains, abstaining, abstained, abstained
Base formabstain · to abstain
3rd person singularabstains
Present participleabstaining
Past simpleabstained
Past participleabstained

regular · Lesson

Present simpleLesson

I, you, we, theyabstain
he, she, itabstains

Past simpleLesson

all personsabstained

Present perfectLesson

I, you, we, theyhave abstained
he, she, ithas abstained

Future simple (will)Lesson

all personswill abstain

Synonyms

9 synonyms

Antonyms

1 antonyms

Word family

8 related words

See also

neighbours in the dictionary
abstain — meaning, examples, forms, synonyms | Krumeto