abstention
noun/əbˈstenʃn/
/əbˈstenʃn/
- [countable, uncountable] abstention (from something) an act of choosing not to use a vote either in favour of or against something
- The voting was 15 in favour, 3 against and 2 abstentions.
- Voter abstention is seen as the only real form of dissent in elections.
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- [uncountable] abstention (from something) (formal) the act of not allowing yourself to have or do something fun or something that is considered bad
- The Church insisted on abstention from all luxuries.
see also abstain
Word Originearly 16th cent. (denoting the action of keeping back or restraining): from late Latin abstentio(n-), from the verb abstinere , from ab- ‘from’ + tenere ‘hold’.
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abstention