forbear
/'fɔ:'beə/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- An ancestor, a forefather: A person from whom one is directly descended, typically used in the plural form "forbears" to refer collectively to one's ancestors.
Verb:
- To refrain or abstain from doing something: To hold oneself back from an action, especially with an effort of self-control.
- To be patient or tolerant: To endure or bear with someone or something.
Examples of Usage
Noun:
- We must honor the traditions of our forbears.
- The land has been in the family since the time of my forbears.
Verb:
- He managed to forbear from making a sarcastic comment.
- I cannot forbear to mention the difficulties we faced.
- She forbore expressing her disappointment.
Advanced Usage
- "to forbear from (something/doing something)": This is a common construction emphasizing the act of refraining.
- The judge urged the jury to forbear from reaching a hasty conclusion.
- "to forbear to (do something)": An alternative, slightly more formal construction with the infinitive.
- I shall forbear to list all the reasons here.
Variants and Related Words
- Forbearance (n): Patient self-control; restraint and tolerance.
- He showed great forbearance during the lengthy negotiations.
- Forbearing (adj): Patient and restrained.
- She has a gentle and forbearing nature.
Synonyms
- Verb: Refrain, abstain, desist, withhold, avoid.
- Noun: Ancestor, forefather, progenitor, predecessor.
Antonyms
- Verb: Indulge, yield, succumb, persist (in).
Related Phrases and Idioms
- "Forbear and forgive": An idiom urging patience and pardon.
- In such matters, it is best to forbear and forgive.
- "To forbear one's tongue": To refrain from speaking.
- In the heated debate, he wisely forbore his tongue.
Noun
- a person from whom you are descended
Verb
- resist doing something
- He refrained from hitting him back
- she could not forbear weeping
- refrain from doing
- she forbore a snicker