Refrain (rfrn), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Refrained (-frnd); p. pr. & vb/ n. Refraining.]
Etymology: [OE. refreinen, OF. refrener, F. refr, fr. L. refrenare; influenced by OF. refraindre to restrain, moderate, fr. LL. refrangere, for L. refringere to break up, break (see Refract). L. refrenare is fr. pref. re- back + frenum bridle; cf. Skr. dh to hold.]
1. To hold back; to restrain; to keep within prescribed bounds; to curb; to govern. His reson refraineth not his foul delight or talent. Chaucer. Refrain thy foot from their path. Prov. i. 15.
2. To abstain from [Obs.] Who, requiring a remedy for his gout, received no other counsel than to refrain cold drink. Sir T. Browne.
2 other Webster entries under this spelling
Refrain, v. i.
To keep one's self from action or interference; to hold aloof; to forbear; to abstain. Refrain from these men, and let them alone. Acts v. 38. They refrained therefrom [eating flesh] some time after. Sir T. Browne.
Syn. -- To hold back; forbear; abstain; withhold.
Refrain, n.
The burden of a song; a phrase or verse which recurs at the end of each of the separate stanzas or divisions of a poetic composition. We hear the wild refrain. Whittier.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for refrain; he lists it under cease, keep.
Where he writes about it:
A person keeps a shop or store, conducts or carries on a business; he keeps or carries a certain line of goods; we may keep or restrain one from folly, crime, or violence; we keep from or refrain from evil, ourselves. — from keep