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forbear

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Forbear is defined as to stop yourself from doing something.

(verb)

An example of forbear is when you stop yourself from eating chocolate.

See forbear in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb forbore or Archaicforbare, forborne, forbearing

to refrain from; avoid or cease (doing, saying, etc.)
Now Chiefly Dial. to endure; tolerate

Origin: ME forberen < OE forberan: see for- & bear

intransitive verb

to refrain or abstain
to keep oneself in check; control oneself under provocation

Related Forms:

forbearer noun
forbearingly adverb

noun

forebear

See forbear in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb for·bore (-bôrˈ, -bōrˈ), for·borne (-bôrnˈ, -bōrnˈ), for·bear·ing, for·bears

verb, transitive

To refrain from; resist: forbear replying. See Synonyms at refrain¹.
To desist from; cease.
Obsolete To avoid or shun.

verb, intransitive

To hold back; refrain.
To be tolerant or patient in the face of provocation.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English forberen

Origin: , from Old English forberan, to endure; see bher-¹ in Indo-European roots

Related Forms:

for·bearˈer noun

noun

Variant of forebear.

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