As a verb, to refrain is to stop yourself from doing something. As a noun, a refrain is a repeated line or set of lines in a song or poem.
Verb: from Latin *refrenare* (to bridle, restrain), from *re-* (back) + *frenum* (bridle). Noun: from Old French *refraindre* for ‘repeat’, related to the idea of holding and bringing back the same words.
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