forbearance
C2Formal
Definition
Meaning
patient self-control; restraint; the act of refraining from exercising a legal right.
1. A deliberate tolerance and patience in the face of provocation or delay. 2. (Finance/Law) A formal agreement to temporarily postpone enforcement of a debt or right.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Positively connoted, implying virtue and strength of character. Often used in contexts of tolerance, finance, and law. Not to be confused with mere inaction; it implies a conscious, often difficult, choice.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The word is used with identical meaning in both variants. No significant spelling or definition differences.
Connotations
Slightly more common in British English in formal and legal registers, but equally understood and used in American English.
Frequency
Low-frequency word in both dialects, primarily found in formal, financial, legal, and religious discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Verb] forbearance towards/with someone[Verb] forbearance in the face of something[Adjective] forbearance from someoneVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To try someone's forbearance (to test their patience)”
- “The patience of Job (biblical reference implying extreme forbearance)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
A lender granted a three-month forbearance on the loan repayments due to the company's cash flow issues.
Academic
The study examined the role of mutual forbearance in maintaining long-term diplomatic relations between the states.
Everyday
She showed remarkable forbearance with her noisy neighbours, never once complaining.
Technical
The contract includes a forbearance clause allowing for a suspension of penalties under force majeure.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The bank agreed to forbear from enforcing the debt for six months.
- He could barely forbear from commenting on the mistake.
American English
- The lender decided to forbear taking legal action during the negotiation period.
- She forbore to mention his earlier rudeness.
adverb
British English
- He nodded forbearingly as the child explained the broken vase.
American English
- She waited forbearingly for the system to reboot.
adjective
British English
- She listened with a forbearing smile.
- His forbearing nature was appreciated by all.
American English
- He adopted a forbearing attitude toward the constant delays.
- The teacher's forbearing response calmed the situation.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Her forbearance with the slow service was amazing.
- Parents need a lot of forbearance.
- The judge praised the victim's forbearance in not seeking revenge.
- The two sides showed mutual forbearance, avoiding further conflict.
- The creditor's agreement to a period of forbearance saved the company from immediate bankruptcy.
- His philosophical writings extol the virtues of forbearance and humility in the face of adversity.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
FORBEARANCE = FOR + BEAR + ANCE. Think 'to FOR-BEAR (endure) something ANCE (the act of)'. You 'bear' with a situation patiently.
Conceptual Metaphor
PATIENCE IS A CONTAINER (e.g., 'His forbearance was exhausted'), VIRTUE IS STRENGTH (requiring internal fortitude).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'терпение' (patience) in all contexts; in legal/financial contexts, it's a specific agreement ('отсрочка', 'мораторий'). 'Сдержанность' is a closer match for the behavioural sense.
Common Mistakes
- Using it to mean 'a prediction' (confusion with 'foreboding').
- Misspelling as 'forebearance'.
- Using it as a verb ('He forbearanced...' is wrong; the verb is 'to forbear').
Practice
Quiz
In a legal context, 'forbearance' most specifically means:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a low-frequency, formal word primarily used in legal, financial, religious, and literary contexts.
'Forbearance' implies a conscious, often difficult, restraint from action in the face of provocation or a right. 'Patience' is a broader term for calmly waiting or enduring. Forbearance is a specific type of patience involving restraint.
No. The noun is 'forbearance'. The related verb is 'to forbear' (past tense: forbore, past participle: forborne), which is also formal and less common.
The correct spelling is FORbearance. 'Forebearance' is a common misspelling, likely due to confusion with the word 'foreboding'.
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