refrain
1 Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
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a phrase or verse recurring at intervals in a song or poem, especially at the end of each stanza; chorus.
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Music.
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a musical setting for the refrain of a poem.
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any melody.
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the principal, recurrent section of a rondo.
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an often heard statement, opinion, etc..
Today’s technology haters have a common refrain—robots are bad for society.
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a frequently occurring situation or series of events.
The game followed a familiar refrain: a strong first quarter start that eventually fizzles out.
verb
noun
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a regularly recurring melody, such as the chorus of a song
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a much repeated saying or idea
Other Word Forms
- refrainer noun
- refrainment noun
- unrefrained adjective
- unrefraining adjective
Etymology
Origin of refrain1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English refreinen, from Old French refre(i)ner, from Latin refrēnāre “to bridle,” derivative of re- re- + frēn(um) “bridle”
Origin of refrain2
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, Middle French refreyne, from Old French refrain, derivative of refraindre “to break sequence” from Vulgar Latin refrangere (unattested) for Latin refringere “to refract ”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The company refrained from repurchasing any of its own shares during the quarter, marking the sixth-straight period in which it didn’t buy back any stock.
During a briefing overnight, a spokesman for China’s Ministry of Commerce urged the “U.S. to remove such unilateral tariffs and refrain from new ones.”
From Barron's
“Protesters gathered outside the event to raise awareness about the Boycott ‘Scream 7’ campaign and urge audiences to refrain from supporting the film.”
From Los Angeles Times
At the same time, though, most companies have refrained from widespread layoffs given a chronic shortage of skilled workers.
From MarketWatch
The Wellington City Council had previously urged people to refrain from swimming or fishing due to the public health risk.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
