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Abstain vs Beg - What's the difference?

abstain | beg |

As a verb abstain

is (transitive|reflexive|obsolete) keep or withhold oneself .

As a noun beg is

.

abstain

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • (transitive, reflexive, obsolete) Keep or withhold oneself.
  • Refrain from (something); hold one's self aloof; to forbear or keep from doing, especially an indulgence of the passions or appetites.
  • * Who abstains from meat that is not gaunt? - Shakespeare, Richard II, II-i
  • (obsolete) Fast.
  • Deliberately refrain from casting one's vote at a meeting where one is present.
  • * Not a few abstained from voting. -
  • (obsolete) Hinder; keep back; withhold.
  • * Whether he abstain men from marying [sic]. -

    • Usage notes

    * (keep or withhold oneself) Followed by the word from' or ' of . * (refrain from something) Followed by the word from .

    Synonyms

    * deny oneself * forbear * forgo * give up * refrain * relinquish * withhold

    Derived terms

    * abstention

    Related terms

    * abstinence

    References

    Anagrams

    *

    beg

    English

    (wikipedia beg)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) (m), assimilation from (etyl) *.

    Verb

    (begg)
  • to request the help of someone, often in the form of money
    • He begged on the street corner from passers-by.
  • to plead with someone for help, a favor, etc.; to entreat
    • I beg your pardon. I didn't mean to cause offence.
    He begged her to go to the prom with him .
  • * Shakespeare
    • I do beg your good will in this case.
  • * Bible, Matthew xxvii. 58
    • [Joseph] begged the body of Jesus.
  • * 1898 , , (Moonfleet) Chapter 5
    • But that same day came Sam Tewkesbury to the Why Not? about nightfall, and begged a glass of rum, being, as he said, 'all of a shake'
  • to assume, in the phrase (beg the question)
  • (proscribed) to raise a question, in the phrase (beg the question)
  • (legal, obsolete) To ask to be appointed guardian for, or to ask to have a guardian appointed for.
  • * Harrington
    • Else some will beg thee, in the court of wards.
    Usage notes
    * This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive . See
    Antonyms
    * (raise a question)
    Derived terms
    * beg the question * go begging * beg to differ

    See also

    *

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) (m).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • a provincial governor under the Ottoman Empire, a bey

    • Etymology 3