- (n.) The act or practice of abstaining; voluntary forbearance of any action, especially the refraining from an indulgence of appetite or from customary gratifications of animal or sensual propensities. Specifically, the practice of abstaining from intoxicating beverages, -- called also total abstinence.
- (n.) The practice of self-denial by depriving one's self of certain kinds of food or drink, especially of meat.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). abstinence. Retrieved September 22, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/abstinence/definitions/1969950 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "abstinence" http://smartdefine.org/abstinence/definitions/1969950 (accessed September 22, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, abstinence, Smart Define, viewed 22 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/abstinence/definitions/1969950>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "abstinence" 27 May 2011. Web. 22 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/abstinence/definitions/1969950> |