abstention

Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

ab·sten·tion [abstention abstentions] BrE [əbˈstenʃn] NAmE [əbˈstenʃn] noun
1. countable, uncountable ~ (from sth) an act of choosing not to use a vote either in favour of or against sth
•The voting was 15 in favour, 3 against and 2 abstentions.
•Voter abstention is seen as the only real form of dissent in elections.
2. uncountable (formal)the act of not allowing yourself to have or do sth enjoyable or sth that is considered bad
•The Church insisted on abstention from all luxuries.
see also ↑abstain

Word Origin:
early 16th cent. (denoting the action of keeping back or restraining): from late Latin abstentio(n-), from the verb abstinere , from ab- ‘from’ + tenere ‘hold’.