Dictionary
ab•stain
Pronunciation: (ab-stān'), [key]—
v.i.
1. to hold oneself back voluntarily, esp. from something regarded as improper or unhealthy (usually fol. by
from):
to abstain from eating meat.
2. to refrain from casting one's vote:
a referendum in which two delegates abstained. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.