abster

Borrowed from Latin abstinēre, present active infinitive of abstineō (“I abstain”), with conjugation based on ter.

abster (first-person singular present absteño, first-person singular preterite abstiven, past participle abstido)

1. (reflexive) to abstain
2. first-person singular personal infinitive of abster
3. third-person singular personal infinitive of abster

Borrowed from Latin abstinēre (“to abstain”), with conjugation based on ter.

• Hyphenation: abs‧ter

abster (first-person singular present abstenho, first-person singular preterite abstive, past participle abstido)

1. (ditransitive, with the indirect object taking de and a verb in the infinitive) to keep from; to prevent from (to stop someone from doing something)

   As dores o abstiveram de viajar.

   The pains kept him from travelling.

2. (takes a reflexive pronoun, auxiliary with de and a verb in the infinitive) to abstain from; to refrain from (to deliberately not do something)

   Essa dieta exige que você se abstenha de comer chocolate.

   This diet requires you to abstain from eating chocolate.

3. (takes a reflexive pronoun, transitive with de) to abstain from (not to do, have or make use of something pleasurable)

   Essa dieta exige que você se abstenha de chocolate.

   This diet requires you to abstain from chocolate.

4. (takes a reflexive pronoun) to keep one’s composure

   Não importa quantos insultos ouvir, abstenha-se.

   No matter how many insults you hear, keep calm.

5. (takes a reflexive pronoun) to abstain (to deliberately refrain from voting)

   Nenhuma das opções é boa, então eu me abstenho.

   None of the options is good, so I abstain.

• abstenção
• abstinente