intr.v. To hold oneself back; forbear from doing something: refrained from swearing. [Middle English refreinen, from Old French refrener, to restrain, from Latin refrēnāre : re-, re- + frēnāre, to restrain (from frēnum, bridle, from frendere, to grind; see ghrendh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).] re·frainer n. re·frainment n. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
n. 1. a. A phrase, verse, or group of verses repeated at intervals throughout a song or poem, especially at the end of each stanza. b. Music for the refrain of a song. 2. A song or melody. 3. A repeated utterance or theme. [Middle English refrein, from Old French refrain, alteration of refrait, past participle of refraindre, to break off, repeat, from Vulgar Latin *refrangere, to break off, alteration of Latin refringere; see REFRACT.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.