refrain
rih-FRAYN
/rɪˈfreɪn/
A repeated line, phrase, or group of lines in a poem or song, usually at the end of a stanza.
Functions as a recurring thematic anchor throughout a poem.
The story behind the word. From Old French 'refrain', from Vulgar Latin 'refringere' (to break back), referring to the repetition breaking back into the main poem.
Word relationships
- chorus: 'Chorus' is used primarily in music; 'refrain' is the standard literary term in poetry.
Commonly confused with
- stanza: A stanza changes content; a refrain repeats identical or similar lines.
Collocations
- haunting refrain
- recurring refrain
- chorus refrain
Example sentences
- "Quoth the Raven 'Nevermore' serves as the famous, haunting refrain of Poe's poem." Classic poetry
Memory hook
A REFRAIN REPEATS RECURRENTLY in a song. Recurring poetic line.
When not to use
As a verb, refrain means to abstain from something—be careful not to confuse the two definitions.
Fun facts
- In medieval ballad traditions, refrains allowed crowds to sing along without memorizing whole verses.
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