Abstain

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /əbˈsteɪn/

Definitions

1. To deliberately choose not to do something, especially to avoid participating in an activity or consuming something
2. To make a conscious decision to refrain from participating in an action or consuming specific items, often due to personal beliefs or health considerations
3. To choose not to engage in a particular activity or to refrain from partaking in certain substances due to personal convictions or health reasons

Etymology: The verb "abstain" is built from two Latin parts: "abs-", meaning "from," and "teneō," meaning "to hold." Its Latin parent, "abstineō," literally meant "to hold oneself back," which is still visible in the modern sense of refraining from something. English took it through Old French, where the forms "astenir" and "abstenir" were in use, and the word was recorded in Middle English around 1380. The root "teneō" is the same one behind "tenable," meaning something that can be held or defended, and "tenant," one who holds property. Each of these words keeps the core idea of holding, and "abstain" simply adds the sense of holding back from something you could otherwise take.

Synonyms: refrain, desist, withhold, avoid, shun

Antonyms: participate, engage, indulge, partake, join