English Vocabulary (A - D)

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abstain

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English | 2009 | Copyright

ab·stain / abˈstān/ • v. [intr.] 1. restrain oneself from doing or enjoying something. ∎ refrain from drinking alcohol: most pregnant women abstain or drink very little. 2. formally decline to vote either for or against a proposal or motion. DERIVATIVES: ab·stain·er n.

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abstain

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | | Copyright

abstain XIV. ME. abste(i)nen, repr. tonic stem of (O)F. abstenir — L. abstinēre, f. ABS- + tenēre hold, keep.
So abstention XVI.

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T. F. HOAD. "abstain." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "abstain." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-abstain.html

T. F. HOAD. "abstain." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-abstain.html

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abstain

Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes | 2007 | Copyright

abstain •abstain, appertain, arcane, arraign, ascertain, attain, Bahrain, bane, blain, brain, Braine, Cain, Caine, campaign, cane, chain, champagne, champaign, Champlain, Charmaine, chicane, chow mein, cocaine, Coleraine, Coltrane, complain, constrain, contain, crane, Dane, deign, demesne, demi-mondaine, detain, disdain, domain, domaine, drain, Duane, Dwane, Elaine, entertain, entrain, explain, fain, fane, feign, gain, Germaine, germane, grain, humane, Hussein, inane, Jain, Jane, Jermaine, Kane, La Fontaine, lain, lane, legerdemain, Lorraine, main, Maine, maintain, mane, mise en scène, Montaigne, moraine, mundane, obtain, ordain, pain, Paine, pane, pertain, plain, plane, Port-of-Spain, profane, rain, Raine, refrain, reign, rein, retain, romaine, sane, Seine, Shane, Sinn Fein, skein, slain, Spain, Spillane, sprain, stain, strain, sustain, swain, terrain, thane, train, twain, Ujjain, Ukraine, underlain, urbane, vain, vane, vein, Verlaine, vicereine, wain, wane, Wayne •watch chain • mondaine • Haldane •ultramundane • Cellophane •novocaine • sugar cane • marocain

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Clegg may be poised to abstain on tuition fees.(News) Newspaper article from: Western Mail (Cardiff, Wales); 11/27/2010
	Tories to abstain on rebels' Iraq war vote.(News) Newspaper article from: Daily Post (Liverpool, England); 9/17/2002
	Blatter bemused as FA abstain from FIFA presidential vote.(Sport) Newspaper article from: Daily Post (Liverpool, England); 5/20/2011