• vt. 忍耐；克制
• vi. 忍耐；克制
• n. 祖先

for-, 完全的。bear,克制。

這里的-bear部分不是熊，而是忍耐；承擔之意，前綴for-這里表away, opposite, completely，因此forbear就是to bear up（振作）one's feeling。類似，forgive原諒是to give up completely，forget忘記是to get(grasp in mind) away。bear and forbear一忍再忍。

forbear (v.)

"to abstain," Old English forberan "bear up against, control one's feelings, abstain from, refrain; tolerate, endure" (past tense forb?r, past participle forboren), from for- + beran "to bear" (see bear (v.)). Related: Forbearer; forbearing; forbore. Of similar formation are Old High German ferberen, Gothic frabairan "to endure."

1. I could not forbear smiling.

我忍不住微笑.

來自《簡明英漢詞典》

2. I forbear to go into details.

我不欲詳述.

來自《簡明英漢詞典》

3. He forbear from take any further action.

他克制自己不采取任何進一步的行動.

來自《簡明英漢詞典》

4. We begged him to forbear.

我們懇求他忍耐.

來自《簡明英漢詞典》

5. She should try to forbear from saying such cruel things.

她應該設法忍住不說這類殘酷的事.

來自辭典例句