forbear

Plural: forbears

Noun

a person from whom you are descended
Alternative spelling of forebear.

Verb

Verb Forms: forbore, forborne, forbearing, forbears

To refrain from doing something; to show patience or tolerance.
refrain from doing
resist doing something
- "she could not forbear weeping"
To keep away from; to avoid; to abstain from.
To refrain from proceeding; to pause; to delay.
To refuse; to decline; to withsay; to unheed.
To control oneself when provoked.

Examples

A skilled player will forbear from making a risky play until a better opportunity arises.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English forberen, from Old English forberan (“to forbear, abstain from, refrain; suffer, endure, tolerate, humor; restrain; do without”), from Proto-Germanic *fraberaną (“to hold back, endure”); equivalent to for- + bear. Cognate with Old Frisian forbera (“to forfeit”), Middle High German verbërn (“to have not; abstain; refrain from; avoid”) (Cimbrian forbèeran), Gothic 𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌱𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌰𐌽 (frabairan, “to endure”).

Synonyms

forebear, hold back, refrain

Antonyms

act

Scrabble Score: 12

forbear: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
forbear: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
forbear: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 13

forbear: valid Words With Friends Word