absteynen

Middle English

Alternative forms

• abstenen, abstinen

Etymology

From Old French astenir, abstenir, from Latin abstineō (“to hold oneself back”) from abs- (“from”) + teneō (“I hold”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /abˈstæi̯nən/

Verb

absteynen

1. to avoid, stay away from, refrain from partaking of.

Conjugation

Conjugation of absteynen (weak in -ed)

infinitive	(to) absteynen, absteyne
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	absteyne	absteyned
2nd-person singular	absteynest	absteynedest
3rd-person singular	absteyneth	absteyned
subjunctive singular	absteyne
imperative singular		—
plural1	absteynen, absteyne	absteyneden, absteynede
imperative plural	absteyneth, absteyne	—
participles	absteynynge, absteynende	absteyned, yabsteyned

¹ Sometimes used as a formal 2nd-person singular.

Descendants

• English: abstain
• Scots: absteen

References

• “absteinen, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.