Noun

(-)

The act or practice of abstaining, refraining from indulging a desire or appetite.

Penance, fasts, and abstinence , / To punish bodies for the soul's offense. -

The abstinence from a present pleasure that offers itself is a pain, nay, oftentimes, a very great one. —

Complete abstinence is easier than perfect moderation. —

# Specifically, the practice of abstaining from intoxicating/alcoholic beverages; total abstinence; teetotalism).

# Specifically, the practice of abstaining from sexual intercourse, either permanently or until marriage.

# (ecclesiastical) Abstention from certain foods on days of penitential observance.

The practice of self-denial; self-restraint; forebearance from anything.

(obsolete) Self-denial; abstaining; or forebearance of anything.

(business) Delay of spending to accrue capital.

Noun

The state or quality of being moderate; avoidance of extremes

* {{quote-book

, passage=...It regulates and governs the Passions of the Mind, and brings them into due moderation and frame... , page=17 , title=An Account of the Growth of Deism in England , author=William Stephens , year=1696}}

* 1772 , , [http://books.google.com/books?id=twVuAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA394]:

Mr. Chairman, at this moment I stand astonished at my own moderation !

* 1821 October 12, , [http://books.google.com/books?id=5q4XBa5jsy8C&pg=PA7]:

America is a model of force and freedom and moderation - with all the coarseness and rudeness of its people.

An instance of moderating: bringing something away from extremes, especially in a beneficial way

* {{quote-news, year=1936, date=March, work=The Southern Lumberman citation

, passage=With the quick moderation of the weather some buying has appeared that had been held up because of the extremely cold weather

The process of moderating a discussion

The moderation of a large online forum can be hard work.