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Webster 1913 Edition

Refrain

Re-frain′

(rē̍-frān′)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Refrained
(-frānd′)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Refraining
.]
[OE.
refreinen
, OF.
refrener
, F.
refréner
, fr. L.
refrenare
; influenced by OF.
refraindre
to restrain, moderate, fr. LL.
refrangere
, for L.
refringere
to break up, break (see
Refract
). L.
refrenare
is fr. pref.
re-
back +
frenum
bridle; cf. Skr.
dhṛ
to hold.]
1.
To hold back; to restrain; to keep within prescribed bounds; to curb; to govern.
His reason
refraineth
not his foul delight or talent.
Chaucer.
Refrain
thy foot from their path.
Prov. i. 15.
2.
To abstain from.
[Obs.]
Who, requiring a remedy for his gout, received no other counsel than to
refrain
cold drink.
Sir T. Browne.

Re-frain′

,
Verb.
I.
To keep one’s self from action or interference; to hold aloof; to forbear; to abstain.
Refrain
from these men, and let them alone.
Acts v. 38.
They
refrained
therefrom [eating flesh] some time after.
Sir T. Browne.
Syn. – To hold back; forbear; abstain; withhold.

Re-frain′

,
Noun.
[F.
refrain
, fr. OF.
refraindre
; cf. Pr.
refranhs
a refrain,
refranher
to repeat. See
Refract
,
Refrain
,
Verb.
]
The burden of a song; a phrase or verse which recurs at the end of each of the separate stanzas or divisions of a poetic composition.
We hear the wild
refrain
.
Whittier.

Webster 1828 Edition

Refrain

REFRA'IN

,
Verb.
T.
[L. refaeno; re and fraeno, to curb; fraenum, a rein. See Rein.]
To hold back; to restrain; to keep from action.
My son - refrain thy foot from their path. Prov. 1.
Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by. Gen. 45.

REFRA'IN

,
Verb.
I.
To forbear; to abstain; to keep one's self from action or interference.
Refrain from these men and let them alone. Acts 5.

REFRA'IN

,
Noun.
The burden of a song; a kind of musical repetition.

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