All 9 Uses of
refrain
in
Wuthering Heights
- So deep and sensitive was his aversion, that he refrained from going anywhere where he was likely to see or hear of Heathcliff.†
p. 133.7 *refrained = avoided or resisted (doing something)
- And I, through pardonable weakness, refrained from correcting the error; asking myself what good there would be in disturbing his last moments with information that he had neither power nor opportunity to turn to account.†
p. 192.7
- I warn you to refrain from provoking me, or I'll ask your abduction as a special favour!†
p. 10.3
- You are welcome to torture me to death for your amusement, only allow me to amuse myself a little in the same style, and refrain from insult as much as you are able.†
p. 81.9 *
- If once I find it open he's done for; I do it invariably, even though the minute before I have been recalling a hundred reasons that should make me refrain: it is some devil that urges me to thwart my own schemes by killing him.†
p. 102.3
- 'You've a nice house, Joseph,' I could not refrain from observing, 'and pleasant inmates; and I think the concentrated essence of all the madness in the world took up its abode in my brain the day I linked my fate with theirs!†
p. 104.4
- I could scarcely refrain from smiling at this antipathy to the poor fellow; who was a well-made, athletic youth, good-looking in features, and stout and healthy, but attired in garments befitting his daily occupations of working on the farm and lounging among the moors after rabbits and game.†
p. 143.0
- It had appeared wrong to take the journey once; now it seemed wrong to refrain.†
p. 184.2
- You'll neither see nor hear anything to frighten you, if you refrain from prying.'†
p. 238.9
Definitions:
-
(1)
(refrain as in: a repeated refrain) something repeated regularly -- especially a word, phrase, line, or idea repeated in music, poetry, or speech
-
(2)
(refrain as in: refrain from laughing) to stop oneself from doing something -- especially something tempting, impulsive, or inappropriate