abstinence
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English[edit]
Alternative forms[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Middle English abstinence, from Old French abstinence, from Latin abstinentia, from abstinēns, present participle of abstineō (“I withhold”). Equivalent to abstain + -ence.
Pronunciation[edit]
Noun[edit]
abstinence (countable and uncountable, plural abstinences)
- The act or practice of abstaining, refraining from indulging a desire or appetite. [First attested around 1150 to 1350.][1]
- 1665 (first performance), John Dryden, The Indian Emperour, or, The Conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards. […], London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for H[enry] Herringman […], published 1667, →OCLC, Act I, scene ii, page 11:
- Penance, Faſts, and Abſtinence, / To puniſh Bodies for the Souls offence.
- 1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC:
- The abstinence from a present pleasure that offers itself is a pain, nay, oftentimes, a very great one.
- 1981 August 22, Larry Goldsmith, “Lesbian and Gay Independents”, in Gay Community News, volume 9, number 6, page 10:
- These five short films by San Francisco artist James Broughton, reveal to the viewer the artistic changes undergone by the artist during his 15-year abstinence from filmmaking.
- Specifically, the practice of abstaining from intoxicating/alcoholic beverages; total abstinence; teetotalism). [First attested around 1150 to 1350.][1]
- Specifically, the practice of abstaining from sexual intercourse, either permanently or until marriage. [First attested around 1150 to 1350.][1]
- Abstinence is the only 100% guaranteed contraception.
- (ecclesiastical) Abstention from certain foods on days of penitential observance. [First attested around 1150 to 1350.][1]
- 1995 September 18, Rafael Alvarez, “Catholics asked to avoid eating meat on Fridays Cardinal suggests abstinence in weeks leading up to Pope's visit”, in Baltimore Sun[1]:
- "The church teaching before Vatican II was that it was 'gravely sinful' to take 2 ounces of meat on a day of abstinence such as Friday," said the Rev. Joseph S. Rossi, a Jesuit professor of church history at Loyola College.
- (Should we delete(+) this sense?) The practice of self-denial; self-restraint; forebearance from anything. [First attested around 1350 to 1470.][1]
- (Should we delete(+) this sense?) (obsolete) Self-denial; abstaining; or forebearance of anything. [First attested around 1150 to 1350.][1]
- (business) Delay of spending to accrue capital.
Derived terms[edit]
Translations[edit]
the act or practice of abstaining
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specifically, abstinence from alcohol
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specifically, abstinence from sexual intercourse
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the practice of self-denial
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delay of spending
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See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Lesley Brown, editor-in-chief, William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, editors (2002), “abstinence”, in The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, 5th edition, Oxford, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 10.
- “abstinence”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
French[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Inherited from Middle French abstinence, from Old French abstinence, borrowed from Latin abstinentia.
Pronunciation[edit]
Audio: (file)
Noun[edit]
abstinence f (plural abstinences)
- abstinence (act or practice of abstaining)
- abstinence (specifically act or practice of abstaining from alcohol)
- abstinence (specifically act or practice of abstaining from sexual relations)
Related terms[edit]
Further reading[edit]
- “abstinence”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Middle French[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Old French abstinence.
Noun[edit]
abstinence f (plural abstinences)
- abstinence (act or practice of abstaining)
Descendants[edit]
- French: abstinence
Old French[edit]
Alternative forms[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Latin abstinentia, at least in this form (some of the variants may only be semi-learned); later modified to bring it in line with the Latin etymon.
Noun[edit]
abstinence oblique singular, f (oblique plural abstinences, nominative singular abstinence, nominative plural abstinences)
- abstinence (act or practice of abstaining)
Descendants[edit]
- Middle English: abstinence
- English: abstinence
- Middle French: abstinence
- French: abstinence
Categories:
- English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *ten-
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old French
- English terms derived from Latin
- English terms suffixed with -ence
- English 3-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- English countable nouns
- English terms with quotations
- English terms with usage examples
- English ecclesiastical terms
- English terms with obsolete senses
- en:Business
- French terms inherited from Middle French
- French terms derived from Middle French
- French terms inherited from Old French
- French terms derived from Old French
- French terms borrowed from Latin
- French terms derived from Latin
- French terms with audio links
- French lemmas
- French nouns
- French countable nouns
- French feminine nouns
- fr:Christianity
- Middle French terms inherited from Old French
- Middle French terms derived from Old French
- Middle French lemmas
- Middle French nouns
- Middle French feminine nouns
- Middle French countable nouns
- Old French terms borrowed from Latin
- Old French terms derived from Latin
- Old French lemmas
- Old French nouns
- Old French feminine nouns