From Middle English forberen, from Old English forberan ("to forbear, abstain from, refrain; suffer, endure, tolerate, humor; restrain; do without"), from Proto-Germanic *fraberaną ("to hold back, endure"); equivalent to for- + bear. Cognate with Old Frisian forbera ("to forfeit"), Middle High German verbërn ("to have not; abstain; refrain from; avoid") (Cimbrian forbèeran), Gothic 𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌱𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌰𐌽 ("to endure").
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