Inflected forms: ab·stained, ab·stain·ing, ab·stains 1. To refrain from something by one's own choice: abstain from traditional political rhetoric. See synonyms at refrain1. 2. To refrain from voting: Forty senators voted in favor of the bill, 45 voted against it, and 15 abstained.
ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English absteinen, to avoid, from Old French abstenir, from Latin abstinre, to hold back : abs-, ab-, away; see ab–1 + tenre, to hold; see ten- in Appendix I.
b-st
n
, 
b-
re, to hold back : abs-, ab-, away; see ab–1 + ten
