What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Abstain vs Eke - What's the difference?

abstain | eke |

As a verb abstain

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

As a noun eke 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

    *

    eke

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) .

    Verb

    (ek)
  • To increase; to add to, augment, lengthen.
  • *
    • Here endlesse penance for one fault I pay, / But that redoubled crime with vengeance new / Thou biddest me to eeke ?
  • * {{quote-web
    • , date=2012-07-11 , year= , first= , last= , author=Ben Perry , authorlink= , title=Branson's spaceship steals the spotlight at airshow , site=Yahoo News citation , archiveorg= , accessdate=2012-07-12 , passage=British tycoon Richard Branson stole the show here Wednesday, announcing that he and his family would be on Virgin Galactic's first trip into space, as Airbus and Boeing eked out more plane orders. }}

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) An addition.
  • * Geddes
    • Clumsy ekes that may well be spared.

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (beekeeping, archaic) A very small addition to the bottom of a beehive, often merely of a few bands of straw, on which the hive is raised temporarily.

    • Etymology 3

    From (etyl) .

    Adverb

    (-)
  • (obsolete) Also.
  • * 1663 ,
    • 'Tis false: for Arthur wore in hall / Round-table like a farthingal, / On which, with shirt pull'd out behind, / And eke before, his good knights dined.
  • * 1782 ,
    • 'John Gilpin was a citizen / of credit and renown / A train-band captain eke was he / of famous London town.'

    See also

    * eke out

    Anagrams

    * English palindromes ----