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Suppress vs Refrain - What's the difference?

suppress | refrain |

As verbs the difference between suppress and refrain

is that suppress is to put an end to, especially with force, to crush, do away with; to prohibit, subdue while refrain is to hold back, to restrain (someone or something).

As a noun refrain is

the chorus or burden of a song repeated at the end of each verse or stanza.

suppress

English

Verb

  • to put an end to, especially with force, to crush, do away with; to prohibit, subdue
  • ''Political dissent was brutally suppressed .
  • to restrain or repress an expression
  • ''I struggled to suppress my smile.
  • (psychiatry) to exclude undesirable thoughts from one's mind
  • He unconsciously suppressed his memories of abuse.
  • to prevent publication
  • The government suppressed the findings of their research about the true state of the economy.
  • to stop a flow or stream
  • The rescue team managed to suppress the flow of oil by blasting the drilling hole.
    ''Hot blackcurrant juice mixed with honey may suppress cough.
  • (US, legal) to forbid the use of evidence at trial because it is improper or was improperly obtained
  • (electronics) to reduce unwanted frequencies in a signal
  • (obsolete) to hold in place, to keep low
  • Anagrams

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    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

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    Anagrams

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