English

Noun

abstention ‎(plural abstentions)

1. (obsolete) The act of restraining oneself. [Attested from the early 16^th century until the med 17^th century.]^[1]
2. The act of abstaining; a holding aloof; refraining from. [First attested in the early 17^th century.]^[1]
3. The act of declining to vote on a particular issue. [First attested in the late 19^th century.]^[1]
4. Non-participation in the political world; as a country avoiding international affairs.

Translations

References

1. 1 2 3 Lesley Brown (editor), The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 5th edition (Oxford University Press, 2003 [1933], ISBN 978-0-19-860575-7), page 9

French

Pronunciation

Noun

abstention f ‎(plural abstentions)

1. abstention

Related terms

• abstenir
• abstinence