abstinency

A person practices abstinency by choosing a simple salad for lunch.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • The quality or state of abstaining: "Abstinency" refers to the practice or habit of refraining from indulging in certain pleasures, especially food, drink, or other physical desires. It is a synonym for temperance or moderation, often implying voluntary self-restraint.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Her abstinency from sweets helped her maintain a healthy diet. (Her habit of refraining from eating sugary foods contributed to her health.)
  • The monk's abstinency was a key part of his spiritual discipline. (His practice of self-denial was central to his religious life.)

Advanced Usage

• "to practice abstinency": to actively engage in the habit of self-restraint.

  • During Lent, many Christians practice abstinency from meat. (They voluntarily avoid eating meat as a form of self-discipline.)

• "a life of abstinency": a lifestyle characterized by consistent moderation or denial of excess.

  • The philosopher advocated for a life of abstinency to achieve inner peace. (He recommended living with few indulgences for mental clarity.)

Variants and Related Words

• Abstinent (adj): characterized by self-restraint, especially from food or drink.

  • He remained abstinent during the fasting period. (He refrained from eating and drinking.)

• Abstinence (n): the act or practice of refraining from something, often used interchangeably with "abstinency," but "abstinence" is more common in modern usage.

  • Total abstinence from alcohol is required for the treatment program. (Complete avoidance of alcohol.)

Synonyms

• Temperance: moderation or self-restraint, especially in eating and drinking.
• Self-denial: the act of refusing oneself something desired.
• Sobriety: the state of being sober or serious, often linked to abstaining from alcohol.

Related Idioms

• "To abstain from": to choose not to do or have something.

  • She decided to abstain from voting on the issue. (She chose not to participate in the vote.)

• "To keep a fast": to abstain from food for a period, often for religious reasons.

  • He kept a fast for three days as a form of abstinency. (He refrained from eating for a specific time.)

Phrasal Verbs

• Abstain from: to refrain from doing something.
  • He abstained from smoking during the flight. (He did not smoke.)

Note: "Abstinency" is a less common variant of "abstinence," and its use is largely formal or historical. In modern English, "abstinence" is preferred in most contexts.