Refrain vs Frain - What's the difference?
refrain | frain |
(archaic) To hold back, to restrain (someone or something).
* Proverbs i:15 .
(reflexive, archaic) To show restraint; to hold oneself back.
* 1526 , (William Tyndale), trans. Bible , Acts V:
*
* Bible, Proverbs i. 15
To stop oneself (from) some action or interference; to abstain.
* Bible, Acts v. 38
* Sir Thomas Browne
*
The chorus or burden of a song repeated at the end of each verse or stanza.
A much repeated comment, complaint, or saying.
(rare, or, dialectal, chiefly, Scotland) to ask, inquire; demand.
* 1830 , Sir Walter Scott, The poetical works of Sir Walter Scott, baronet :
(rare, or, dialectal, chiefly, Scotland) to question; to ask questions.
As a noun refrain
is .As a proper noun frain is
.refrain
English
Etymology 1
From a combination of (etyl) refraindre, (etyl) refreindre (from (etyl) refrangere), and (etyl) refrener, (etyl) refrener (from (etyl) refrenare).Verb
(en verb)- Refrain thy foot from their path.
- And nowe I saye unto you: refrayne youreselves from these men, and let them alone [...].
- his reson aperceyueth it wel that it is synne / agayns the lawe of god / and yet his reson / refreyneth nat his foul delit or talent.
- Refrain thy foot from their path.
- Refrain from these men, and let them alone.
- They refrained therefrom [eating flesh] some time after.
- Who, requiring a remedy for his gout, received no other counsel than to refrain cold drink.
Etymology 2
From (etyl) refrain, from the (etyl) verb . See refract and the verb refrain.Noun
(wikipedia refrain) (en noun)- We hear the wild refrain . Whittier.
References
*Anagrams
* ----frain
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) (m), .Verb
(en verb)- I frained fast what was his name, Where that he came, from what country.