v.戒絕；棄權(quán)；節(jié)制

He swore to abstain from smoking. 他發(fā)誓要戒煙。

A high percentage of women said they had abstained from alcohol during pregnancy. 很大比例的婦女稱他們在懷孕期間戒了酒。

I abstained from voting. 我棄權(quán)不投票。

Six countries voted for the change, five voted against, and two abstained. 六個國家投票贊成改變，五個反對，還有兩個棄權(quán)。

abstain的基本意思是“戒除; 避開”,指自覺地控制自己不做那些由于愿望或沖動而想做的事,強(qiáng)調(diào)自我約束、自我否定和永久性，尤指戒酒。

abstain的另一個意思是“棄權(quán)”,即表決時不投票或不舉手。

abstain是不及物動詞,常與介詞from連用構(gòu)成及物動詞短語,后面可接名詞、代詞或動名詞作賓語。