Definitions, Translations, and Word of the Day
Definition of "forbear" []
- To refrain from; resist: forbear replying. See Synonyms at refrain1. (verb-transitive)
- To desist from; cease. (verb-transitive)
- Obsolete To avoid or shun. (verb-transitive)
- To hold back; refrain. (verb-intransitive)
- To be tolerant or patient in the face of provocation. (verb-intransitive)
American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Use "forbear" in a sentence
- "The word forbear comes from the Middle English forberen, thence from the Old English forberan, both meaning to endure or to get through something, and to do so with grace and dignity."
- "If they thought it of value, they were to pay him accordingly; if not, they were to "forbear" -- that is, to give nothing."
- "-- I wept for a dear warrior once; and did the sword forbear so just a heart?"
Words like "forbear"