refrain: Refrain ‘chorus of a song’ [14] and refrain ‘desist’ [14] are different words. The former comes via Old French refrain from Provençal refranh. This was a derivative of the verb refranhar, which went back via Vulgar Latin *refrangere to Latin refringere ‘break off’ (source of English refract [17]). The etymological notion underlying the word is that the chorus of a song ‘breaks off’ and then resumes. Refrain ‘desist’ is descended from Latin refrēnāre ‘hold back’, a compound verb formed from the prefix re- ‘back’ and frēnum ‘bridle’. It reached English via Old French refrener. => fraction, refract
refrain (v.)
mid-14c., from Old French refraigner "restrain, repress, keep in check" (12c., Modern French Réfréner), from Latin refrenare "to bridle, hold in with a bit, check, curb, keep down, control," from re- "back" (see re-) + frenare "restrain, furnish with a bridle," from frenum "a bridle." Related: Refrained; refraining.
refrain (n.)
late 14c., from Old French refrain "chorus" (13c.), alteration of refrait, noun use of past participle of refraindre "repeat," also "break off," from Vulgar Latin *refrangere "break off," alteration of Latin refringere "break up, break open" (see refraction) by influence of frangere "to break." Influenced in French by cognate Provençal refranhar "singing of birds, refrain." The notion is of something that causes a song to "break off" then resume. OED says not common before 19c.
双语例句
1. Rosa's constant refrain is that she doesn't have a life.
罗莎总是重复的一句话就是她没有像样的生活。
来自柯林斯例句
2. Please refrain from smoking.
请勿吸烟。
来自《权威词典》
3. I made a terrific effort to refrain from tears.
我狠着心把泪止住.
来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
4. How shall I refrain from tears when we part?
我们分手时,我怎么能抑制住眼泪?
来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
5. Please refrain from smoking during the performance.
