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refrain English

Meaning refrain meaning

What does refrain mean?
Definitions in simple English

refrain Noun

— A refrain is part of a song. It is also called the chorus. The words (lyrics) of the refrain are the same words sung over and over after each verse in the song. I don't know the words but I can hum along during the refrain.

refrain Verb

— To refrain means to control or hold back. Stop making jokes! Will you refrain yourself? He refrained from making jokes during his teacher's farewell speech.

refrain

— noun the part of a song where a soloist is joined by a group of singers — verb (= forbear) resist doing something He refrained from hitting him back she could not forbear weeping — verb (= abstain) choose not to consume I abstain from alcohol

Synonyms refrain synonyms

What other words have the same or similar meaning as refrain?

refrain English » English

chorus abstain hold back avoid desist forbear restrain oneself cease burden stop suppress eschew restrain refuse melody keep oneself keep back hold forgo forego decline withstand withdraw utter turn up turn down tolerable think theme tell again and again tell tag swallow stand off spell spare signify show scorn say retain resist reserve repress repeat quit prophesy postpone patient mean

Topics refrain topics

What do people use refrain to talk about?
Language and thought Communication Say Voice

Say nothing

Conjugation refrain conjugation

How do you conjugate refrain?

refrain · verb

Examples refrain examples

How do I use refrain in a sentence?

Simple sentences

Please refrain from smoking, while the non-smoking signs are on.
You should refrain from smoking.
Please refrain from speaking without permission.
Please refrain from smoking.
We agreed to refrain from smoking while we are at work.
Please refrain from smoking in this room.
Miss Tanaka! You are living with gentlemen house mates! Please refrain from being pantless!
Could you please refrain from interrupting me constantly!
Please refrain from excessive drinking.
I don't know the introduction, but I can sing the refrain.
The soldier really could not refrain from kissing her.
Please refrain from saying anything like that.
Refrain from showering or bathing today.
Kindly refrain from smoking.
Refrain from smoking here.
Please refrain from smoking here.
You are asked to refrain from smoking until the sign is switched off.
Please refrain from smoking in public places.
I could not refrain from smoking.
She could not refrain from tears.
Refrain yourself from making other commentaries.

Movie subtitles

I must therefore request, for the good of the patient, that you refrain from seeing him now. What is it?
The counsel will refrain from questioning the jurors and the jurors will refrain from answering.
And you, sir, will refrain from personalities.
Counsel will refrain from personal remarks.
Refrain tonight, and that shall lend a kind of easiness to the next abstinence, the next more easy.
Who could refrain, that had a heart to love?
Would Your Honor instruct counsel. to refrain from these sly and feminine hints?
It's not for self-mortification that I refrain from eating.
Counsel will refrain from leading the witness.
In future you will cooperate with your instructors and refrain from exhibitions of circus gymnastics.
Do you refrain from these vices out of respect for the moral virtues?
I demand that you refrain from talking in such a manner.
Just sing the refrain.
Refrain from joking! -l'm completely serious.
Please refrain from any personal reflections.
Will the court instruct the witness to refrain from testifying to conclusions?
It's simple. I have only to refrain from hoping.
I must also ask you to refrain from meeting with any of your co-workers again, except in our usual channels.
I have always advised you against this marriage! Mother, I beg you to refrain from remarks like that! I see!
Please fasten your seatbelts and refrain from smoking.
If they needle me, it'll get noisy. Refrain from responding to them, that's all they want.
Refrain yourself from making such visible moves like you did last night.
Refrain from joking!
As your father I must insist that you refrain from questioning my authority.
The defendant will refrain.
The defendant will refrain! I didn't kill him!
The plaintiff will refrain from further sarcasm.
I shall thrust when I end the refrain.
Refrain! Prince.
But please refrain from excessive violence.
You must abdicate the throne in my favor. and instruct your subjects to refrain from stirring up any revolt. and to show me, the one and only king, complete and absolute obedience.
Let him finish the refrain.
He, when he hears of her, cannot refrain from the excess of laughter.

News and current affairs

Isolationism is a familiar refrain in US foreign policy among those elements of the right that consider the US too good for the world, as well as among those on the left who consider America a destructive global force.
But we should not sit idly by and refrain from taking sides.
Indeed, at an unheralded G-7 ministers' meeting two years ago, they agreed to a US Treasury proposal to refrain from unilateral foreign-exchange intervention.
But, as the US government knows well, countries with faltering economies cannot be asked to refrain from lowering interest rates just because the likely effects include currency depreciation.
Hamas wishes now to consolidate its political gains, maintain domestic order and stability, and refrain from any contacts with Israel.
Under the cover of silence, gays refrain from provoking the conflicts that a more vocal advocacy of homosexuality would bring.
A few years ago, I started hearing a troubling refrain: business leaders are feeling the type of public disdain once reserved for politicians.
Indeed, not only must China refrain from interfering in Hong Kong's internal affairs, but it must encourage the people of Hong Kong to defend their much smaller system.
But he is unlikely to refrain from accusing Russia of stoking tensions with Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
In both Russia and Ukraine, the West should back off from imposing programs made in Washington, and should certainly refrain from demanding excessive and self-defeating austerity.
Having instead made the request for a warrant public, al-Bashir - assuming the judges uphold the request - can simply refrain from traveling abroad and thus avoid arrest.
Instead, the link between identity and immigration, an old refrain of the far right, remains strong, and the issue has grown more heated because of France's inability to develop an effective policy to integrate immigrants from Africa.
More precisely, the Eurogroup of eurozone finance ministers and the troika continued to leak to the global media that the Greek authorities had no credible, innovative proposals on offer - their standard refrain.
Any ceasefire agreement requires both parties to refrain from attacking the other.
On the other hand, the Court cannot charge - or refrain from charging - a senior political or military official responsible for grave crimes solely to avert negative political repercussions.
More people are not supporting Koizumi's annual pilgrimage to Yasukuni, with seven former prime ministers jointly demanding that he refrain from the visits.
If investors know that a liquidity squeeze is no longer possible, they will refrain from speculative attacks on solvent countries.
Until they do, the easy availability of guns all but ensures that massacres like the one in Aurora remain a bitter American refrain.
But what happens if this brings either no Iranian commitment to refrain from weaponizing nuclear power, or no acceptance of tough monitoring of such a pledge?
If producing and consuming countries in grain markets could cooperatively agree to refrain from such government intervention - probably by working through the World Trade Organization - world price volatility might be lower.
So goes the refrain in a famous Argentine song.
It must ease Japan's sense of insecurity in the wake of China's rise, while persuading Japan's new leaders to behave prudently and refrain from excessively nationalist behavior.
Hamas has put pressure on all resistance groups in Gaza to refrain from provoking Israel.

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