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| adj. 1. Eating and drinking in moderation. 2. Characterized by abstinence or moderation: an abstemious way of life. [From Latin abstēmius : abs-, ab-, away; see AB–1 + *tēmus, *tēmum, strong alcoholic drink (compare Latin tēmulentus, drunken, and tēmētum, strong alcoholic drink, wine, mead); possibly akin to Sanskrit tāmyati, he is stupefied, exhausted, and Armenian t‛mrim, I grow dull, indolent.] ab·stemi·ous·ly adv. ab·stemi·ous·ness n. |
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