Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- intransitive verb To keep oneself from doing, engaging in, or partaking of something; refrain.
- intransitive verb To refrain from voting.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To forbear or refrain voluntarily, especially from what gratifies the passions or appetites: used with from: as, to
abstain from the use of ardent spirits; to abstain from luxuries. - To hinder; obstruct; debar; cause to keep away from: as, “abstain men from marrying,” Milton.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- transitive verb To hinder; to withhold.
- intransitive verb To hold one's self aloof; to forbear or refrain voluntarily, and especially from an indulgence of the passions or appetites; -- with
from .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb choose not to consume
- verb refrain from voting
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
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Examples
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The BBC reports that the U.S. may abstain from a U.N. resolution against Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem.
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In summary, Switzerland regretted that the resolution was not adopted by consensus, which is why it had decided to abstain from the vote.
David Isenberg: Sloppy Language and Human Rights David Isenberg 2010
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Bush refused, simply instructing Rice to abstain from the vote.
Matthew Yglesias » Olmert Claims to Control US Foreign Policy 2009
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The worst thing we can do for peace is to abstain from a resolution condemning the settlements.
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I will abstain from the use of and participation in any socialist goods and services including but not limited to the following:
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In an unusually public rebuke, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel said Monday that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had been forced to abstain from a United Nations resolution on Gaza that she helped draft, after Mr. Olmert placed a phone call to President Bush.
Matthew Yglesias » Olmert Claims to Control US Foreign Policy 2009
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The tone of the post abovee will make me abstain from the chicken from now on but I'm going to indulge in Tyler's magical cheese elixir once the paleo thing is done.
7-11 Nachos: What you need to know Tyler 2009
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I will abstain from the use of and participation in any socialist goods and services including but not limited to the following:
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If I lived in Louisiana, I would abstain from the Senate race.
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I will abstain from the use of and participation in any socialist goods and services including but not limited to the following:
Comments
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