To refrain from doing something, or to endure something patiently without complaint.
Old English 'forbēran,' from 'for-' (before, completely) + 'beran' (to bear, carry). The meaning shifted from 'to carry beforehand' to 'to endure' and eventually 'to abstain from.'
This word has two pronunciations with different meanings: /ˈfɔrbɛr/ (a forefather or ancestor, from a different root) versus /fɔrˈbɛr/ (to refrain)—English loves this confusing homograph trick.
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