During the debate, several committee members chose to abstain from voting until they had reviewed the full environmental impact report.
在辩论期间，几位委员会成员选择在审查完整的环境影响报告之前弃权投票。
Which choice best defines “abstain”?
A — To refrain; hold back.. “abstain” means To refrain; hold back..
Which word means “To refrain; hold back.”?
A — abstain. “abstain” means To refrain; hold back..
abstain — To refrain; hold back.. In Chinese: 戒除；节制；弃权（投票）.
abstain is pronounced //əbˈsteɪn//.
During the debate, several committee members chose to abstain from voting until they had reviewed the full environmental impact report. (在辩论期间，几位委员会成员选择在审查完整的环境影响报告之前弃权投票。)
refrain, forbear, desist — all close in meaning to abstain (To refrain; hold back.).
indulge, partake — each the opposite of abstain (To refrain; hold back.).
Yes. abstain is on the SAT Prep Difficult list — the higher-register words that decide the hard questions. The Digital SAT does not test vocabulary in isolation; words like this one are tested through Words in Context questions, where you choose the word that completes a passage most logically and precisely.
abs-(离) + tain(=tenere 持) → 把手拿开 → 克制、戒。