First Known Use: before 12th century
Dictionary
1forbear
verb for·bear \fȯr-ˈber, fər-\
: to choose not to do (something that you could do) : to avoid doing or saying (something)
for·bore\-ˈbȯr\for·borne\-ˈbȯrn\for·bear·ing
Full Definition of FORBEAR
transitive verb
1
obsolete : to do without
2
: to hold oneself back from especially with an effort <forbore mentioning the incident>
3
obsolete : to leave alone : shun <forbear his presence — Shakespeare>
intransitive verb
2
: to control oneself when provoked : be patient
— for·bear·er noun
See forbear defined for English-language learners
See forbear defined for kids
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Origin of FORBEAR
Middle English forberen, from Old English forberan to endure, do without, from for- + beran to bear
Related to FORBEAR
- Synonyms
- abjure, abstain (from), forgo (also forego), keep (from), refrain (from), withhold (from)
- Antonyms
- bow (to), give in (to), submit (to), succumb (to), surrender (to), yield (to)
Rhymes with FORBEAR
affair, aglare, airfare, Ajmer, Altair, antbear, armchair, au pair, aware, bakeware, barware, Basseterre, Baudelaire, beachwear, bergère, beware, bid fair, big hair, black bear, bricklayer, broodmare, brown bear, bugbear, caneware, carfare, Carrère, cave bear, chi-square, clayware, club chair, compare, compere, confrere, cookware, corsair, courseware, creamware, crosshair, cudbear, daymare, dead air, decare, deck chair, declare, delftware, despair, dishware, éclair, elsewhere, ensnare, eyewear, fanfare, fieldfare, firmware, flatware, Flaubert, footwear, forebear, forswear, foursquare, freeware, funfair, galère, giftware, glassware, Great Bear, groupware, Gruyère, guard hair, hardware, health care, hectare, high chair, horsehair, hot air, impair, infare, Khmer, Kildare, knitwear, life-care, light air, longhair, loungewear, Mayfair, menswear, meunière, midair, mohair, Molière, neckwear, nightmare, no fair, outstare, out-there, outwear, playwear, plein air, plowshare, Poor Clare, Port Blair, portiere, premiere, prepare, pushchair, rainwear, redware, repair, root hair, Sancerre, sea hare, shank's mare, shareware, shorthair, side chair, Sinclair, skiwear, sleepwear, slipware, sloth bear, software, somewhere, spongeware, sportswear, stemware, stoneware, sun bear, swimwear, threadbare, tinware, torchère, trouvère, tuyere, unfair, unhair, unswear, Voltaire, warfare, welfare, wheelchair, wirehair, workfare
2forbear
Definition of FORBEAR
variant of forebear
FORBORNE Defined for Kids
forbear
verb for·bear \fȯr-ˈber\
for·bore \-ˈbȯr\for·borne \-ˈbȯrn\for·bear·ing
Definition of FORBEAR for Kids
1
: to hold back <He forbore from hitting the bully back.>
2
: to be patient when annoyed or troubled
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