Abstain vs Refuse - What's the difference?
abstain | refuse |
(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]. -
(UK) Collectively, items or material that have been discarded; rubbish, garbage.
To decline (a request or demand).
* Bible, Isa. i. 20
* {{quote-news
, year=2011
, date=September 27
, author=Alistair Magowan
, title=Bayern Munich 2 - 0 Man City
, work=BBC Sport
To decline a request or demand, forbear; to withhold permission.
(military) To throw back, or cause to keep back (as the centre, a wing, or a flank), out of the regular alignment when troops are about to engage the enemy.
(obsolete) To disown.
* Shakespeare
In intransitive terms the difference between abstain and refuse
is that abstain is deliberately refrain from casting one's vote at a meeting where one is present while refuse is to decline a request or demand, forbear; to withhold permission.As verbs the difference between abstain and refuse
is that abstain is keep or withhold oneself while refuse is to decline (a request or demand).As an adjective refuse is
discarded, rejected.As a noun refuse is
collectively, items or material that have been discarded; rubbish, garbage.abstain
English
Verb
(en verb)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 * withholdDerived terms
* abstentionReferences
Anagrams
*refuse
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) .Noun
(-)Synonyms
* discards * garbage (US ) * rubbish (UK ) * trash (US ) * See alsoEtymology 2
From (etyl) refuser, from .Verb
(refus)- My request for a pay rise was refused .
- I refuse to listen to this nonsense any more.
- If ye refuse ye shall be devoured with the sword.
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- I asked the star if I could have her autograph, but she refused .
- to refuse the right wing while the left wing attacks
- Refuse thy name.