Abstinence

• the trait of abstaining (especially from alcohol)
• act or practice of refraining from indulging an appetite
• Abstinence is a voluntary restraint from indulging a desire or appetite for certain bodily activities that are widely experienced as giving pleasure. Most frequently, the term refers to abstention from sexual intercourse, alcohol or food.
• Self-denial
• The voluntary self-denial of food, drink, or sex. Today, abstinence is commonly taken to mean no sexual activity.
• Refraining from sexual intercourse. To avoid pregnancy, abstinence includes the avoidance of genital contact during the fertile phase of the cycle.
• We must distinguish between private abstinence and communal church fastings. See "Fasting."
• Not using a substance at all.
• Ingesting no alcohol.
• The act or practice of refraining from indulgence in an appetite, as for certain foods, drink, alcoholic beverages, drugs, or sex. (In this case sexual intercourse or other sexual behaviors)
• Non-use of a specific substance. In recovery, non-use of any addictive psychoactive substance. May also denote cessation of addictive behavior, such as gambling, over-eating, etc.
• Generally speaking it is the act or practice of refraining from feeding an appetite, but as found on our web site the word is always used to mean not engaging in sex while unmarried.
• Refraining from eating meat
• Refraining from participating in a behavior. In terms of HIV prevention, abstinence generally refers to not engaging in sexual intercourse or injecting drugs.
• not participating in a practice such as sexual intercourse
• To refrain from having sex
• The Catholic penitential practice of moderation in the consumption of food or drink, more commonly as refraining from certain kinds of food or drink.