forbear

forbear
I. verb (forbore; forborne; -bearing) Etymology: Middle English forberen, from Old English forberan to endure, do without, from for- + beran to bear Date: before 12th century transitive verb 1. obsolete to do without 2. to hold oneself back from especially with an effort <
forbore mentioning the incident
>
3. obsolete to leave alone ; shun <
forbear his presence — Shakespeare
>
intransitive verb 1. hold back, abstain <
have forborne from taking part in any controversy — Abraham Lincoln
>
2. to control oneself when provoked ; be patient • forbearer noun II. variant of forebear

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • Forbear — For*bear (f[o^]r*b[^a]r ), v. i. [imp. {Forbore}({Forbare}, [Obs.]); p. p. {Forborne}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Forbearing}.] [OE. forberen, AS. forberan; pref. for + beran to bear. See {Bear} to support.] 1. To refrain from proceeding; to pause; to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Forbear — For*bear , v. t. 1. To keep away from; to avoid; to abstain from; to give up; as, to forbear the use of a word of doubtful propriety. [1913 Webster] But let me that plunder forbear. Shenstone. [1913 Webster] The King In open battle or the tilting …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • forbear — forbear, forebear 1. Forbear is a verb (pronounced with the stress on the second syllable) meaning ‘to abstain from, go without’ and is usually followed by to + infinitive or from + verb in ing: • He did not enquire after their progress and Nutty …   Modern English usage

  • forbear — I verb abstain, be patient, be temperate, be tolerant, bear with, break off, cease, decline, delay enforcing rights, deny oneself, desist from, dispense with, do without, endure, forgo, hold back, hold in abeyance, hold off, keep back, keep from …   Law dictionary

  • Forbear — For*bear (f[o^]r*b[^a]r ), n. [See {Fore}, and {Bear} to produce.] An ancestor; a forefather; usually in the plural. [Scot.] [Also spelled {forebear}.] Your forbears of old. Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • forbear — 1 *forgo, abnegate, eschew, sacrifice Analogous words: *restrain, curb, bridle, inhibit: avoid, *escape, evade, shun: desist, cease (see STOP) 2 *refrain, abstain Analogous words: suffe …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • forbear — [v] resist the temptation to abstain, avoid, bridle, cease, curb, decline, desist, escape, eschew, evade, forgo, go easy*, hold back*, inhibit, keep, keep from, omit, pause, refrain, restrain, sacrifice, shun, stop, withhold; concepts… …   New thesaurus

  • forbear — [1] ► VERB (past forbore; past part. forborne) ▪ refrain from doing something. ORIGIN Old English …   English terms dictionary

  • forbear — forbear1 [fôr ber′] vt. forbore or Archaic forbare, forborne, forbearing [ME forberen < OE forberan: see FOR & BEAR1] 1. to refrain from; avoid or cease (doing, saying, etc.) 2. Now Chiefly Dial. to endure; tolerate …   English World dictionary

  • forbear — for|bear1 [fo:ˈbeə, fə US fo:rˈber, fər ] v past tense forbore [ ˈbo: US ˈbo:r] past participle forborne [ ˈbo:n US ˈbo:rn] [i]literary [: Old English; Origin: forberan] to not do something you could or would like to do because you think it is… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • forbear — {{11}}forbear (n.) ancestor, late 15c., from FORE (Cf. fore) before + be er one who exists; agent noun from BE (Cf. be). {{12}}forbear (v.) to abstain, O.E. forberan bear up against, control one s feelings, endure, from FOR (Cf …   Etymology dictionary

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