[a. Fr. abstinence, refashioned on OFr. astenance, astinence:—L. abstinentia, n. of quality f. abstinent-em, pr. pple. of abstinē-re. See ABSTAIN.]
1. The action or practice of abstaining or refraining; forbearance. Const. from (of obs.).
1382. Wyclif, Num. xxx. 14. That bi fastynge and abstynens of other thingis she traueyl hir soul.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom. (1838), I. ii. 7. Goode werkis of kyndnesse, abstinence fro synne, and almysdede.
1594. Hooker, Eccl. Pol. (1632), v. 388. Jewish Abstinence from certaine kinds of meates.
1692. Dryden, St. Eurem. Ess., 343. The true Devout Person breaks with Nature … to take pleasure in the abstinence of pleasures.
1732. Arbuthnot, Rules of Diet, 397. There are no better rules than Abstinence from those things which occasion it.
1862. Trench, Miracles, xv. 260. Abstinence from an outward work is not essential to the observance of a Sabbath.
b. spec. A forbearance from hostilities, an armistice or truce.
1419. Sir W. Bardolph, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., II. 23. I. 75. Duryng the abstinence of werr of viij dayys.
1469. Paston Lett., 624, II. 379. I sent you a bill which concludith an abstinence of werre to be had unto Fryday last was.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., III. 1192/1. Mondaie the seuenteenth of June about eight of the clocke, an abstinence of warre was concluded.
1873. Burton, Hist. Scot., V. lvi. 116. The truce or abstinence … was continued by short additions to the end of the year.
2. absol. Forbearance of any indulgence of appetite, self-restraint: a. continence (the oldest sense); b. fasting; c. the practice of abstaining from alcoholic beverages, also known as total abstinence.
c. 1300. St. Brandan (1844), 35. There he ladde a full strayte and holi lyfe in grete penaunce and abstynence.
1340. Ayenb., 236. Þet chastete ssel bi straytliche y-loked and wel wyþ-draȝe be abstinence [uorberinge].
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pers. T., 757. Agayns glotonye the remedie is abstinence.
1494. Fabyan (1542), V. cxxxv. 120. She remeued to Ely, and there was abbesse, and lyued in great penaunce and abstynence.
1526. Tindale, Acts xxvii. 21. Then after longe abstinence, Paul stode forth in the myddes of them.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., IV. ii. 259. Say, Can you fast? your stomacks are too young: And abstinence ingenders maladies.
1611. Bible, 2 Esdras vii. 55. The faces of them which haue vsed abstinence, shall shine aboue the starres.
1704. Nelson, Festivals & Fasts (1739), 434. No Abstinence can partake of the Nature of Fasting except there be something in it that afflicts us.
1837. J. H. Newman, Par. Serm. (ed. 2), III. xv. 231. Such light abstinences as come in our way.
1843. Lytton, Last of Bar., III. v. 163. His table was supplied more abundantly and daintily than his habitual abstinence required.
1853. Kingsley, Hypatia, Pref. 14. The passionate Eastern character, like all weak ones, found total abstinence easier than temperance.
