I can certainly refrain from acting on my desire, but that doesn't mean the desire is no longer there.
Yet it would be in no way irrational for Mike to desire to go to the game and to desire to refrain from going.
Style your hair as desired, but refrain from doing anything to it that would destroy or mess it up.
When ten, say, are sitting together, one of them will refrain from speaking if the other nine desire to be silent.
Everyone, regardless of their interests and desires, has a reason to refrain from morally wrong behaviour.
Celibates are people who may have sexual attraction, but refrain from sexual activity, whereas asexuals have no sexual desires with any gender.
They hoped Canadians would understand their desire to protect a threatened language and culture, and refrain from interfering in internal Mohawk affairs.
Such is the Barbarians' desire to atone for their lacklustre effort at Twickenham, the players have decided to refrain from alcohol until after the match.
Iraqi Shiites refrain from retaliating.
He planned to refrain from the latter.
