Refrainings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Resisting the urge to act or respond in a certain way
2. Actively choosing not to engage in a specific behavior or expression
3. Deliberate restraint from taking a particular action or vocalizing one's thoughts

Etymology: "Refrainings" is simply the plural of "refraining," so it is the form of a noun meaning holding back, and the single word it is built on carries the real history. Refraining is the noun form of "refrain," the verb for holding oneself back from doing something, and that verb is where the word's sense comes from. The main point to take from this form is that its plural pluralises an action or instance of abstaining, so each "refrainings" names one occasion of holding back. The plural is regular, formed by adding "s" to the singular noun.