What does forbear mean?

Definitions for forbear
ˈfɔrˌbɛərfor·bear

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word forbear.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. forebear, forbearverb

    a person from whom you are descended

  2. forbear, hold backverb

    refrain from doing

    "she forbore a snicker"

  3. refrain, forbearverb

    resist doing something

    "He refrained from hitting him back"; "she could not forbear weeping"

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. To Forbearverb

    Forbear his presence, until time hath qualified the heat of his displeasure. William Shakespeare, King Lear.

    So angry bulls the combat do forbear
    When from the wood a lion does appear. Edmund Waller.

    If it passed only by the house of peers, it should be looked upon as invalid and void, and execution should be thereupon forborn or suspended. Edward Hyde, b. viii.

    There is not any one action whatsoever which a man ought to do, or to forbear, but the Scripture will give him a clear precept or prohibition for it. Robert South, Sermons.

    With all lowliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love. Eph. iv. 2.

    Forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not. 2 Chro. xxxv. 21.

  2. To FORBEARverb

    pret. I forbore, anciently forbare; part. forborn.

    Etymology: forbæran , Saxon.

    The wolf, the lion, and the bear,
    When they their prey in pieces tear,
    To quarrel with themselves forbear. John Denham.

    I pray you, tarry: pause a day or two,
    Before you hazard; for in chusing wrong,
    I lose your company; therefore forbear a while. William Shakespeare.

    He forbare to go forth. 1 Sa. xxiii. 13.

    At this he started, and forbore to swear;
    Not out of conscience of the sin, but fear. John Dryden, Juv.

    Who can forbear to admire and adore him who weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance. George Cheyne.

    By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone. Prov. xxv. 15.

ChatGPT

  1. forbear

    Forbear is a verb, which refers to the act of refraining or abstaining from something, usually from doing something undesirable or unpleasant. It can also mean to demonstrate patience or tolerance in a situation; or delay or hold back in terms of actions or decisions. In a different context, as a noun, forbear can also represent an ancestor or forefather.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Forbearnoun

    an ancestor; a forefather; -- usually in the plural

  2. Forbearverb

    to refrain from proceeding; to pause; to delay

  3. Forbearverb

    to refuse; to decline; to give no heed

  4. Forbearverb

    to control one's self when provoked

  5. Forbearverb

    to keep away from; to avoid; to abstain from; to give up; as, to forbear the use of a word of doubdtful propriety

  6. Forbearverb

    to treat with consideration or indulgence

  7. Forbearverb

    to cease from bearing

  8. Etymology: [See Fore, and Bear to produce.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Forbear

    for-bār′, v.i. to keep one's self in check: to abstain.—v.t. to abstain from: to avoid voluntarily: to spare, to withhold.—n. Forbear′ance, exercise of patience: command of temper: clemency.—adjs. Forbear′ant, Forbear′ing, long-suffering: patient.—adv. Forbear′ingly. [A.S. forberan, pa.t. forbær, pa.p. forboren. See pfx. for- and bear.]

Matched Categories

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How to say forbear in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of forbear in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of forbear in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of forbear in a Sentence

  1. Samuel Johnson:

    There is no observation more frequently made by such as employ themselves in surveying the conduct of mankind, than that marriage, though the dictate of nature, and the institution of Providence, is yet very often the cause of misery, and that those who enter into that state can seldom forbear to express their repentance, and their envy of those whom either chance or caution hath withheld from it.

  2. Robert Burns:

    The great Creator to revereMust sure become the creatureBut still the preaching cant forbear,And ev'n the rigid featureYet ne'er with wits profane to rangeBe complaisance extendedAn atheist laugh's a poor exchangeFor deity offended.

  3. Stephen Shober:

    The mission before us as ambassadors is to assure peace among, as it were, the diplomatic corps of fellow ambassadors. Thus we are to walk in lowliness (humility) and meekness, which foster longsuffering and enable us to forbear one another in love.

  4. Matthew Prior:

    Forbear to mention what thou canst not praise.

  5. Thomas Carlyle:

    If those gentlemen would let me alone I should be much obliged to them. I would say, as Shakespeare would say... Sweet Friend, for Jesus sake forbear.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

forbear#10000#90962#100000

Translations for forbear

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • контролирам се, страня от, въздържам се, отбягвамBulgarian
  • vyhnout se, vzdát, zdržet seCzech
  • retenerse, abstenerseSpanish
  • ez eginBasque
  • itsensä, estyä, pidättyä, kieltäytyä, estää, hillitä, välttääFinnish
  • décliner, ajourner, refréner, refuser, se retenir, garder son sang froid, éviter, s'abstenirFrench
  • tartózkodikHungarian
  • menahan diriIndonesian
  • zich onthoudenDutch
  • воздерживаться, [[быть]] [[терпеливый, [[контролировать]] [[себя]], избегать, [[проявлять]] [[терпение]]Russian
  • låta bliSwedish

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"forbear." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Mar. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/forbear>.

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