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Refrain vs Leave_off - What's the difference?

refrain | leave_off | Related terms |

Refrain is a related term of leave_off.


As a noun refrain

is .

As a verb leave_off is

(idiomatic) to omit.

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)
  • (archaic) To hold back, to restrain (someone or something).
  • * Proverbs i:15 .
    • Refrain thy foot from their path.
  • (reflexive, archaic) To show restraint; to hold oneself back.
  • * 1526 , (William Tyndale), trans. Bible , Acts V:
    • 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.
  • * Bible, Proverbs i. 15
    • Refrain thy foot from their path.
  • To stop oneself (from) some action or interference; to abstain.
  • * Bible, Acts v. 38
    • Refrain from these men, and let them alone.
  • * Sir Thomas Browne
    • 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)
  • The chorus or burden of a song repeated at the end of each verse or stanza.
    • We hear the wild refrain . Whittier.
  • A much repeated comment, complaint, or saying.

    • References

    *

    Anagrams

    * ----

    leave_off

    English

    Verb

    (head)
  • (idiomatic) To omit.
  • (informal) To desist; to cease.
    • Leave off hitting him!
  • To stop with a view to resuming at a later point.
  • * July 18 2012 , Scott Tobias, AV Club The Dark Knight Rises [http://www.avclub.com/articles/the-dark-knight-rises-review-batman,82624/]
  • *:Picking up eight years after The Dark Knight left off , the film finds Gotham enjoying a tenuous peace based on Harvey Dent’s moral ideals rather than the ugly truth of his demise.
    • English phrasal verbs