From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishforbearfor‧bear1 /fɔːˈbeə, fə- $ fɔːrˈber, fər-/ verb (past tense forbore /-ˈbɔː $ -ˈbɔːr/, past participle forborne /-ˈbɔːn $ -ˈbɔːrn/) [intransitive] literary NOT DO somethingto not do something you could or would like to do because you think it is wiser not toforbear from He decided to forbear from interfering.forbear to do something Clara forbore to mention his name.→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
forbear• The boy gazed back sweetly, forbearing from touching anything, and daring anyone to challenge his intentions.• First he had forborne them, and then he had punished, but still there was no amend.• Nutty forbore to compete in the charm stakes.• He forbore to join our earthen feast.• He did not enquire after their progress and Nutty forbore to mention it.• So a government scientist, whom out of modesty I forbear to name, had to expose the fraud.forbear to do something• Nutty forbore to compete in the charm stakes.• He forbore to join our earthen feast.• They were all silly games, which Thornton forbore to join.• He did not enquire after their progress and Nutty forbore to mention it.forbearfor‧bear2 /ˈfɔːbeə $ ˈfɔːrber/ noun [countable] FAMILYa forebearExamples from the Corpus
forbear• Many races have traditions of exceptionally long life amongst their early forbears.• Like her parents and so many of her forbears, Eva never does anything by halves.• He may have been reluctant to give up a conquest of his illustrious forbear, Julius Caesar.• Far better to concentrate on how our forbears, Shakespeare and Fletcher amused them - in defiance of classical regulations.• Now seeking means to combat the Chemicals Age, we look to our forbears for help.• Families cherished their forbears, whether these had lived in humble cottages or in manor houses.• True to their forbear, the Renoirs make colour and the moods it can convey almost the leading character in the film.Origin forbear1 Old English forberan 