n. 1 a recurring phrase or number of lines, esp. at the ends of stanzas. 2 the music accompanying this.
[ ME f. OF refrain (earlier refrait) ult. f. L refringere (as RE-, frangere break), because the refrain 'broke' the sequence ]
n. 1 a recurring phrase or number of lines, esp. at the ends of stanzas. 2 the music accompanying this.
[ ME f. OF refrain (earlier refrait) ult. f. L refringere (as RE-, frangere break), because the refrain 'broke' the sequence ]
Concise Oxford English dictionary. Краткий оксфордский словарь английского языка. 2012