What does abstinence mean?
Definitions for abstinence
ˈæb stə nənsab·sti·nence
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word abstinence.
Princeton's WordNet
abstinence, abstentionnoun
the trait of abstaining (especially from alcohol)
abstinencenoun
act or practice of refraining from indulging an appetite
Wiktionary
abstinencenoun
The act or practice of abstaining, refraining from indulging a desire.
abstinencenoun
Specifically, the practice of abstaining from intoxicating/alcoholic beverages (also called total abstinence, teetotalism).
abstinencenoun
Specifically, the practice of abstaining from sexual intercourse, either permanently or until marriage.
abstinencenoun
The practice of self-denial by depriving one's self (partly or totally) of certain kinds of food or drink, especially meat.
Penance, fasts, and abstinence, / To punish bodies for the soul's offense. - John Dryden
abstinencenoun
Abstention from certain foods on days of penitential observance.
Etymology: * First attested in 1340.
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
Abstinencenoun
Etymology: abstinentia, Lat.
Because the abstinence from a present pleasure, that offers itself, is a pain, nay, oftentimes a very great one: it is no wonder that that operates after the same manner pain does, and lessens, in our thoughts, what is future; and so forces us, as it were, blindfold into its embraces. John Locke.
Say, can you fast? your stomachs are too young:
And abstinence ingenders maladies. William Shakespeare, Love’s Lab. Lost.Religious men, who hither must be sent
As awful guides of heavenly government;
To teach you penance, fasts, and abstinence,
To punish bodies for the souls offence. John Dryden, Ind. Emp.And the faces of them, which have used abstinence, shall shine above the stars; whereas our faces shall be blacker than darkness. 2 Esdras, vii. 55.
Abstinencynoun
The same with Abstinence.
Were our rewards for the abstinencies, or riots, of this present life, under the prejudices of short or finite, the promises and threats of Christ would lose much of their virtue and energy. Henry Hammond, Fundam.
ChatGPT
abstinence
Abstinence is the practice of refraining or deliberately abstaining from indulging in an activity, behavior or substance, often for health, personal, moral or social reasons. This often applies to things that may be addictive or harmful, such as alcohol, drugs, or sexual intercourse.
abstinence
Abstinence refers to the act of voluntarily and consciously refraining or avoiding participation in a specific activity or indulgence, particularly those considered harmful or undesirable. This could refer to activities such as sexual activity, consumption of alcohol, drugs, tobacco, or certain types of food. It often has connotations with self-discipline or self-control.
Webster Dictionary
Abstinencenoun
the act or practice of abstaining; voluntary forbearance of any action, especially the refraining from an indulgence of appetite, or from customary gratifications of animal or sensual propensities. Specifically, the practice of abstaining from intoxicating beverages, -- called also total abstinence
Abstinencenoun
the practice of self-denial by depriving one's self of certain kinds of food or drink, especially of meat
Etymology: [F. abstinence, L. abstinentia, fr. abstinere. See Abstain.]
Wikidata
Abstinence
Abstinence is a self-enforced restraint from indulging in bodily activities that are widely experienced as giving pleasure. Most frequently, the term refers to sexual abstinence, or abstinence from alcohol or food. The practice can arise from religious prohibitions and practical considerations. Abstinence may also refer to drugs. For example you can abstain from smoking. Abstinence has diverse forms. Commonly it refers to a temporary or partial abstinence from food, as in fasting. In the twelve-step program of Overeaters Anonymous abstinence is the term for refraining from compulsive eating, akin in meaning to sobriety for alcoholics. Because the regimen is intended to be a conscious act, freely chosen to enhance life, abstinence is sometimes distinguished from the psychological mechanism of repression. The latter is an unconscious state, having unhealthy consequences. Freud termed the channeling of sexual energies into other more culturally or socially acceptable activities, "sublimation".
The Foolish Dictionary, by Gideon Wurdz
ABSTINENCE
From the Persian _ab_, water, and _stein_, or tankard. Hence, water-tankard, or "water wagon."
Matched Categories
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of abstinence in Chaldean Numerology is: 7
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of abstinence in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2
Examples of abstinence in a Sentence
Peer Specialist Bobby Brazell:
The fact of the matter is that all of the funding and treatment that is being offered up today is focused on Suboxone, Narcan or some other medically-assisted treatment program and no one is looking at faith-based, abstinence-based treatment as a viable option.
Especially for the liver transplant clinics or alcohol abuse clinics, it's important for them to recognize this rare condition, because they're the ones that monitor alcohol abstinence, and as you see in this case, the lab test results with urinary auto-brewery syndrome might be misinterpreted.
Abstinence is as easy to me, as temperance would be difficult.
They told me three months (of abstinence), but I am going to make it five months, that's my decision.
Adolescent sexuality is frequently seen as something that needs to be kept under control, and as such, many physicians understandably focus on prevention of harm, hence, the frequent discussions regarding the importance of abstinence, contraception and screening for sexually transmitted infections, but fewer, if any discussions regarding healthy sexual development.
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References
Translations for abstinence
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- трезвеност, възържаниеBulgarian
- Enthaltsamkeit, Keuschheit, AbstinenzGerman
- vigilia, abstinenciaSpanish
- pidättyvyys, kieltäytyminen, raittius, pidättyminen, täysraittiusFinnish
- abstinenceFrench
- abstinentiaInterlingua
- astinenzaItalian
- alcoholonthouding, onthouding, geheelonthoudingDutch
- avholdenhet, avholdNorwegian
- abstynencja, wstrzemięźliwośćPolish
- abstinência, [[abstinência]] [[sexual]]Portuguese
- воздержание, трезвенность, абстиненцияRussian
- umerenost, samoodricanje, trezvenjaštvo, trezvenost, uzdržljivost, uzdržavanjeSerbo-Croatian
- avhållsamhet, kyskhet, absolutismSwedish
- การละเว้นThai
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"abstinence." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/abstinence>.
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