Forbear \For*bear"\ (f[o^]r*b[^a]r"), n. [See Fore, and Bear
to produce.]
An ancestor; a forefather; -- usually in the plural. [Scot.]
[Also spelled forebear.] "Your forbears of old." --Sir W.
Scott.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Forbear \For*bear"\ (f[o^]r*b[^a]r"), v. i. [imp.
Forbore({Forbare, [Obs.]); p. p. Forborne; p. pr. & vb.
n. Forbearing.] [OE. forberen, AS. forberan; pref. for- +
beran to bear. See Bear to support.]
1. To refrain from proceeding; to pause; to delay.
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Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall
I forbear? --1 Kings
xxii. 6.
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2. To refuse; to decline; to give no heed.
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Thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they
will hear, or whether they will forbear. --Ezek. ii.
7.
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3. To control one's self when provoked.
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The kindest and the happiest pair
Will find occasion to forbear. --Cowper.
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Both bear and forbear. --Old Proverb.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Forbear \For*bear"\, v. t.
1. To keep away from; to avoid; to abstain from; to give up;
as, to forbear the use of a word of doubtful propriety.
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But let me that plunder forbear. --Shenstone.
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The King
In open battle or the tilting field
Forbore his own advantage. --Tennyson.
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2. To treat with consideration or indulgence.
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Forbearing one another in love. --Eph. iv. 2.
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3. To cease from bearing. [Obs.]
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Whenas my womb her burden would forbear. --Spenser.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
forbear
n : a person from whom you are descended [syn: forebear]
v : not do something; "He refrained from hitting him back"; "she
could not forbear weeping" [syn: refrain] [ant: act]
[also: forborne, forbore]
WordNet (r) 2.0
61 Moby Thesaurus words for "forbear":
abstain, abstain from, avoid, be patient, bear,
bear with composure, bridle, carry on, carry through, cease, curb,
desist, dispense with, do without, endure, escape, eschew, evade,
forgive, forgo, give quarter, have mercy upon, have pity, hold,
hold aloof from, hold back, hold off, inhibit, keep, keep back,
keep from, keep in hand, let alone, let go by, let up on, melt,
never touch, not touch, not use, pardon, pass up, refrain,
refrain from, relax, relent, reprieve, reserve, restrain,
sacrifice, save, shun, spare, stand aloof from, suffer,
take pity on, thaw, tolerate, wait, wait it out, waive, withhold
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
forbore, forborne, forebear, refrain, spelled forebear.
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