From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishrefrainre‧frain1 /rɪˈfreɪn/ ●○○ verb [intransitive] formal NOT DO somethingto not do something that you want to do → abstainrefrain from (doing) something Please refrain from smoking in this area.→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
refrain• Kate wanted to slap Keith round the face but she refrained.• Refiners have refrained from building any new plants since 1977.• Rand refrained from comment on the scandal involving his opponent.• He explained that he had refrained from elaborating on his opponents' anti-constitutional activities in order to avoid tension.• Jessica had refrained from expressing any further disquiet over them - at lest to me.• Black leaders will refrain from hammering at the issue out of an uneasiness at speaking about intergenerational oppression.• The storekeepers paid Mr. B. a fin a week, and he refrained from smashing up their equipment.• Please refrain from smoking in the restaurant.• Chamlong, seated beside Suchinda, appealed to protestors to refrain from violence.• Nevertheless, he refrains from visiting at the Vincys' for a time.refrain from (doing) something• On the contrary, they had refrained from acting earlier even though they knew of the slaughter.• Thus, a doctor is under a duty to refrain from any act which may aid his patient in committing suicide.• A restriction that he refrain from counseling women will expire at the end of this month.• The vendor will undertake that the company will refrain from doing certain acts or matters pending completion.• But for most women, it was fashionable to refrain from eating long before it became fashionable to be slender.• The panel recommended that officers refrain from such actions, Eide said.• His swollen, inflamed face had become unbearable now; he could neither touch it, nor refrain from touching it.refrainrefrain2 noun [countable] 1 APMpart of a song or poem that is repeated, especially at the end of each verse → chorus2 formalREPEAT a remark or idea that is often repeated Our proposal met with the constant refrain that the company could not afford it.Examples from the Corpus
refrain• Ever since the 23d of September he had recommenced his eternal refrain by demanding reinforcements, and... more reinforcements!• Both Mama Bear and Papa Bear repeat their familiar refrain.• His swollen, inflamed face had become unbearable now; he could neither touch it, nor refrain from touching it.• Her own refrain went: This is not for me.• Most notable were the razor-sharp bottleneck on Cloud Nine and the familar, sliding refrain of Something.• And beneath it, that refrain of betrayal.• "Never again" is the refrain associated with the Holocaust.• Who is the beloved who sings this refrain to her lover?• This refrain might play well in Washington, but it gets less true by the day.Origin refrain1 (1300-1400) Old French refrener, from Latin refrenare, from frenum “bridle” refrain2 (1300-1400) Old French refraindre “to make sound”, from Latin refringere; → REFRACT 