/ rɪˈfreɪn; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
[ v ] refrain (from sth / from doing sth) ( formal ) to stop yourself from doing sth, especially sth that you want to do
SYN desist from :
Please refrain from smoking.
He has refrained from criticizing the government in public.
■ noun
1.
a comment or complaint that is often repeated :
Complaints about poor food in schools have become a familiar refrain.
2.
the part of a song or a poem that is repeated after each verse
SYN chorus
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WORD ORIGIN
verb Middle English (in the sense restrain a thought or feeling ): from Old French refrener , from Latin refrenare , from re- (expressing intensive force) + frenum bridle.
noun late Middle English : from Old French , from refraindre break, based on Latin refringere break up (because the refrain “broke” the sequence).