Refrain

/rɪˈfreɪn/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A repeated part of a poem or song, typically at the end of a stanza.

The refrain of the song was catchy and stuck in my head all day.

A phrase or verse that is repeated in music or poetry.

The poet used a refrain to emphasize the main theme of his work.

A recurring element in a narrative.

The refrain of longing can be felt throughout the novel.

verb

To abstain from an impulse to say or do something.

She tried to refrain from commenting during the meeting.

To hold oneself back from doing something.

He refrained from eating dessert to stick to his diet.

To resist the temptation to partake in something.

Despite the delicious aroma, he managed to refrain from snacking before dinner.

Middle English refrainen, from Old French refrener, from Latin refrænāre, from re- + frēnāre to restrain.

refrain from

to avoid doing something

refrain and enjoy

to hold back from action or speech and derive pleasure from contemplation

as the refrain goes

used to introduce a repeated phrase or idea

abstain

to choose not to do something

hold back

to restrain from acting or speaking

desist

to stop doing something that one has been doing

hold your horses

If you want to go out tonight, just hold your horses and finish your homework first.

bite your tongue

I wanted to tell him off, but I decided to bite my tongue instead.