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# abstemious

adjective (abstemious)

«abstemious» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

(formal) Abstemious means eating and drinking very little, especially not much rich food or alcohol; holding yourself back from pleasures. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/abstemious/#m1)

### In the lessons

In formal writing, history and religious stories, monks, saints and some famous people lived abstemious lives. In health lessons, the word links to self-control and moderation. In church life, fasting in Lent is an abstemious practice. Phrases: «an abstemious life», «abstemious habits».

### Examples

- The old monk lived an abstemious life of bread and water. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/abstemious/#x1)
- Grandad is abstemious and never drinks alcohol. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/abstemious/#x2)
- She was abstemious at the party and had only one small cake. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/abstemious/#x3)
- During Lent some Christians are more abstemious and give up treats. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/abstemious/#x4)
- The athlete kept to an abstemious diet before the race. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/abstemious/#x5)
- He was too abstemious to have a second helping. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/abstemious/#x6)

### Note

Formal. Say «ab-STEE-mee-us». Fun fact: «abstemious» and «facetious» contain all five vowels a, e, i, o, u in order — a favourite puzzle and olympiad fact. Related: abstain (choose not to do or have something).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «abstemious» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/abstemious/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«abstemious» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/abstemious.html) on Mova free.