forbear, forebear

These words are tricky because forbear is a variant but correct spelling of forebear. A forebear is an ancestor, a forefather: "Chinese are said to have great respect for their forebears." "This man's forebears emigrated from Scotland." Forbear means "to desist," "to keep back," "to be patient and self-controlled": "The kind teacher will forbear telling us what we did on the test." "The jury decided to forbear in this case and rendered a verdict based on mercy, not justice." Recommendation: always spell the word for "ancestor" with two e's, remembering that such a person was alive before you were.