The voluntary self-denial of food, drink, or sex. Today, abstinence most commonly refers to denial of one's sexual activity.

Also known as fertility awareness, natural family planning, and the rhythm method, this approach entails not having sexual intercourse on the days of a woman's menstrual cycle when she could become pregnant or using a barrier method (such as a condom, the diaphragm or a cervical cap) for birth control on those days. Because a sperm may live in [..]

mid-14c., "forbearance in indulgence of the appetites," from Old French abstinence (earlier astenance), from Latin abstinentia "abstinence, starvation; self-restraint, integrity," [..]

Not having sex with a partner.

n. Self denial.

noun. 1. avoidance of the use of certain substances such as drugs, alcohol, or food and other beverages. 2. also refers to the avoidance of sexual behaviors- adjective form- abstinent

going without (pop)

Abstinence generally means to the act of refraining from something. Sexual abstinence has been promoted as a way to prevent social ills such as teen pregnancy, sexually transmittted diseases, and othe [..]

(n) the trait of abstaining (especially from alcohol)(n) act or practice of refraining from indulging an appetite

  To refrain from the use of certain components of diet, alcohol, drugs or from sexual intercourse

ieiunium

Abstinence, in sexual and reproductive health, refers to a sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention strategy in which the individual avoids sexual activity. To effectively prevent sexually tran [..]

Refraining from drug use or (particularly) from drinking alcoholic beverages, whether as a matter of principle or for other reasons. Those who practise abstinence from alcohol are termed "abstainers", "total abstainers", or-in a more old-fashioned formulation-"teetotallers". The term "current abstainer", ofte [..]

A class of natural Contraceptive Methods in which Sexual Abstinence is practiced a few days before and after the estimated day of Ovulation, during the fertile phase. Methods for determining the Ferti [..]

Refraining from Sexual Intercourse.

Choosing not to have any kind of sex. Someone who practices sexual abstinence does not run any risk of contracting an STI or having an unwanted pregnancy. See also selective abstinence

‘Abstinence’ was Nassau Senior’s term for that conduct for which profit is the reward (1836, p. 59). He meant it to convey two things: ...

n. "abstinence, self-denial," s.v. abstinence OED. KEY: abstinence@n

n 12 abstinence 11 abstynence 1

<psychology> Self-denial, a voluntary refraining from the use of or indulgence in food, stimulants or sexual intercourse. (15 Jan 1998)

Not having sexual intercourse, whether oral, anal or vaginal; being celibate.

lang=en 1800s=1851 * '''1851''' — . ''''. *: But I may as well say — en passant, as the French remark — that I myself — that is to say, Jack Bunger, late of the reverend clergy — am a strict total [..]

Not engaging in sexual activity.

The delaying of sexual activity and/or intercourse.