Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun See
forebear . - To refrain from; abstain from; omit; avoid the doing or use of.
- To spare; excuse; treat indulgently.
- To refrain; abstain; decline; stop; cease; hold off or back.
- To be patient; endure; restrain one's self from action or from violence.
- Synonyms To abstain, give over, desist, stay, leave off.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun Scot. An ancestor; a forefather; -- usually in the plural.
- intransitive verb To refrain from proceeding; to pause; to delay.
- intransitive verb To refuse; to decline; to give no heed.
- intransitive verb To control one's self when provoked.
- transitive verb To keep away from; to avoid; to abstain from; to give up.
- transitive verb To treat with consideration or indulgence.
- transitive verb obsolete To cease from bearing.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun Alternative spelling of
forebear . - verb transitive To
keep away from; toavoid ; toabstain from; to give up. - verb intransitive To
refrain from proceeding; topause ; todelay . - verb intransitive To
refuse ; todecline ; to give no heed. - verb intransitive To
control oneself when provoked.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb refrain from doing
- noun a person from whom you are descended
- verb resist doing something
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word forbear.
Examples
-
The word forbear comes from the Middle English forberen, thence from the Old English forberan, both meaning to endure or to get through something, and to do so with grace and dignity.
-
If they thought it of value, they were to pay him accordingly; if not, they were to "forbear" -- that is, to give nothing.
-
-- I wept for a dear warrior once; and did the sword forbear so just a heart?
-
Besides, this will teach him to forbear, which is an habit of greatest use for health of body and mind too.
-
In Jehovahs name forbear; cried a shrill, but clear and melodious voice.
-
Under Genachowski's proposal, the FCC would apply only a small fraction of Title II's rules and exempt, or "forbear," those irrelevant to Internet access.
FCC chair outlines regulatory foundation for broadband providers 2010
-
In this case, Verizon has asked the FCC to "forbear" from regulating some of the services it provides in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence and Virginia Beach.
Art Brodsky: Bad FCC Decision Could Cost Consumers Billions 2008
-
Applying the rule of thumb to the obscure word "forbear," how many reasons are there for the FCC to reject the deregulation petitions?
Art Brodsky: Bad FCC Decision Could Cost Consumers Billions 2008
-
Could she speak pleasantly to her aunt? could she even look pleasantly at her? could she "forbear" all unkindness, even in thought?
Melbourne House 1907
-
Could she speak pleasantly to her aunt? could she even look pleasantly at her? could she "forbear" all unkindness, even in thought?
Melbourne House Susan Warner 1852
madmouth commented on the word forbear
Forbear to taste
Library paste
-The Eclectic Abecedarium
June 7, 2009