Nominal Forms
Infinitive: to abstain
Participle: abstained
Gerund: abstaining
Cognates
-
Indicative
Present
| I | abstain |
| you | abstain |
| he;she;it | abstains |
| we | abstain |
| you | abstain |
| they | abstain |
Perfect
| I | have abstained |
| you | have abstained |
| he;she;it | has abstained |
| we | have abstained |
| you | have abstained |
| they | have abstained |
Past
| I | abstained |
| you | abstained |
| he;she;it | abstained |
| we | abstained |
| you | abstained |
| they | abstained |
Pluperfect
| I | had abstained |
| you | had abstained |
| he;she;it | had abstained |
| we | had abstained |
| you | had abstained |
| they | had abstained |
Future
| I | will abstain |
| you | will abstain |
| he;she;it | will abstain |
| we | will abstain |
| you | will abstain |
| they | will abstain |
Future Perfect
| I | will have abstained |
| you | will have abstained |
| he;she;it | will have abstained |
| we | will have abstained |
| you | will have abstained |
| they | will have abstained |
Subjunctive
Present
| I | abstain |
| you | abstain |
| he;she;it | abstain |
| we | abstain |
| you | abstain |
| they | abstain |
Perfect
| I | have abstained |
| you | have abstained |
| he;she;it | have abstained |
| we | have abstained |
| you | have abstained |
| they | have abstained |
Imperfect
| I | abstained |
| you | abstained |
| he;she;it | abstained |
| we | abstained |
| you | abstained |
| they | abstained |
Pluperfect
| I | had abstained |
| you | had abstained |
| he;she;it | had abstained |
| we | had abstained |
| you | had abstained |
| they | had abstained |
Conditional
Present
| I | would abstain |
| you | would abstain |
| he;she;it | would abstain |
| we | would abstain |
| you | would abstain |
| they | would abstain |
Perfect
| I | would have abstained |
| you | would have abstained |
| he;she;it | would have abstained |
| we | would have abstained |
| you | would have abstained |
| they | would have abstained |
Imperative
| you | abstain |
| we | Let's abstain |
| you | abstain |
Verbs conjugated like 'abstain'
abandon,
abduct,
abear,
aberr,
abject,
abord,
abort,
abound,
abraid,
abray,
abrook,
abscind,
abscond,
absist,
absorb,
abstain,
abstract,
accend,
accent,
accept, etc. (List truncated at 20 verbs)
Verbs similar to 'abstain'
assain,
attain,
bestain,
costain,
destain,
distain,
obtain,
restain,
stain,
sustain,
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms
- To refrain from sexual intercourse.
- copulate
Additional Information
Phrasal Verbs
Etymology
1. c.1380, "to withhold oneself," from O.Fr.
abstenir, from L.
abstinere "withhold," from
ab(s)- "from, away from" +
tenere "to hold" (see tenet). Specifically of liquor, attested from 1382. Of voting, 1885.
2. First attested around 1380. From Middle English absteynen, absteinen, abstenen, from Old French astenir, abstenir, from Latin abstineō (“to hold oneself back”) from abs- (“from”) + teneō (“to hold”). See also tenable. See: Middle English '
absteynen', Old French '
astenir', Latin '
abstineō'.
Verbs referencing "abstain"
Indonesian
abstain, Esperanto
abstini.
Sample Sentences
-
[...] of the gratification it yielded me, and cannot fail to afford to any foreigner to whom the condition of such people at home is a subject of interest and anxious speculation, I have carefully abstained from drawing a comparison between these factories and those of our own land. Many of the circumstances whose strong influence has been at work for years in our manufacturing towns have not arisen [...]
(American Notes for General Circulation)
-
The contrast would be a strong one, for it would be between the Good and Evil, the living light and deepest shadow. I abstain from it, because I deem it just to do so. But I only the more earnestly adjure all those whose eyes may rest on these pages, to pause and reflect upon the difference between this town and those [...]
(American Notes for General Circulation)
-
[...] I need not say. The foremost among those politicians who are known in Europe, have been already described, and I see no reason to depart from the rule I have laid down for my guidance, of abstaining from all mention of individuals. It will be sufficient to add, that to the most favourable accounts that have been written of them, I more than fully and most heartily subscribe; and that personal [...]
(American Notes for General Circulation)