refrain

Universal Words verb, noun verb [V] ~ (from sth / from doing sth) (formal) to stop yourself from doing sth, especially sth that you want to do: Please refrain from smoking. * They appealed to the protesters to refrain from violence. * He has refrained from criticizing the government in public. noun 1 a comment or complaint that is often repeated: Complaints about poor food in schools have become a familiar refrain. * The protest began with a small group, but then the others took up the refrain. 2 the part of a song that is repeated after each verse SYNCHORUS