refrain

verb
🔊/rɪˈfreɪn/
🔊/rɪˈfreɪn/
[intransitive] (formal)
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they refrain
🔊/rɪˈfreɪn/
🔊/rɪˈfreɪn/
he / she / it refrains
🔊/rɪˈfreɪnz/
🔊/rɪˈfreɪnz/
past simple refrained
🔊/rɪˈfreɪnd/
🔊/rɪˈfreɪnd/
past participle refrained
🔊/rɪˈfreɪnd/
🔊/rɪˈfreɪnd/
-ing form refraining
🔊/rɪˈfreɪnɪŋ/
🔊/rɪˈfreɪnɪŋ/
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  1. to stop yourself from doing something, especially something that you want to do克制;节制;避免 synonym desist
    • refrain (from something) They appealed to the protesters to refrain from violence.他们呼吁抗议者避免暴力。
    • Both sides should refrain from actions that would make the situation worse.双方应避免采取使局势恶化的行动。
    • refrain from doing something Please refrain from smoking.请勿吸烟。🔊🔊
    • He has refrained from criticizing the government in public.他克制住了自己,没有在公开场合批评政府。🔊🔊
    Extra Examples
    • He deliberately refrained from expressing his opinion on the matter.他刻意避免就这一问题发表看法。
    • I refrained from laughing.我忍住不笑。
    • Priscilla could barely refrain from clapping her hands together.普丽西拉几乎忍不住要随着一起拍手了。
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • carefully
    • deliberately
    • wisely
    preposition
    • from
    See full entry
    Word Originverb Middle English (in the sense ‘restrain a thought or feeling’): from Old French refrener, from Latin refrenare, from re- (expressing intensive force) + frenum ‘bridle’.

refrain

noun
🔊/rɪˈfreɪn/
🔊/rɪˈfreɪn/
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  1. a comment or complaint that is often repeated经常重复的评价(或抱怨)
    • Complaints about poor food in schools have become a familiar refrain.抱怨学校饭菜差已是耳熟能详的老调了。🔊🔊
    • The protest began with a small group, but then the others took up the refrain.抗议始于一小群人,但随后其他人则对此进行了抗议。
    Extra Examples
    • I kept hearing the same refrain.我一再听到同样的老调。
    • Shoppers, so the refrain goes, are never happy until they have found a bargain.正如人们常说的那样,购物者只有在买到便宜货时才会心满意足。
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • constant
    • common
    • familiar
    verb + refrain
    • sing
    • take up
    • echo
    refrain + verb
    • go
    See full entry
  2. the part of a song or a poem that is repeated after each verse副歌;迭歌;迭句
    • The choir's sopranos took up the refrain.合唱队的女高音开始唱副歌部份。
    synonym chorusTopics Musicc2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • constant
    • common
    • familiar
    verb + refrain
    • sing
    • take up
    • echo
    refrain + verb
    • go
    See full entry
  3. Word Originnoun late Middle English: from Old French, from refraindre ‘break’, based on Latin refringere ‘break up’ (because the refrain “broke” the sequence).