abstain

Where does the word "abstain" come from? It comes from Latin abstinere, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

Abstain’s story begins in Latin: abstinere meant “to hold away from.” To hold away from, from abs- (away) and tenere (to hold). By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as abstinen. Carried into French for holding oneself back from something. It reached English by 1300s as abstain. First recorded around 1380 in 'Sir Ferumbras', an English romance adapted from the French epic 'Fierabras'. Today, abstain means to deliberately choose not to do or have something, or to not vote.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient abstinere "to hold away from", to hold away from, from abs- (away) and tenere (to hold).
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval abstinen "to hold oneself back", carried into French for holding oneself back from something.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s abstain "to deliberately not do or have something", first recorded around 1380 in 'Sir Ferumbras', an English romance adapted from the French epic 'Fierabras'.