v.戒绝；弃权；节制
He swore to abstain from smoking. 他发誓要戒烟。
A high percentage of women said they had abstained from alcohol during pregnancy. 很大比例的妇女称他们在怀孕期间戒了酒。
I abstained from voting. 我弃权不投票。
Six countries voted for the change, five voted against, and two abstained. 六个国家投票赞成改变，五个反对，还有两个弃权。
abstain的基本意思是“戒除; 避开”,指自觉地控制自己不做那些由于愿望或冲动而想做的事,强调自我约束、自我否定和永久性，尤指戒酒。
abstain的另一个意思是“弃权”,即表决时不投票或不举手。
abstain是不及物动词,常与介词from连用构成及物动词短语,后面可接名词、代词或动名词作宾语。
