abate
Meanings
- To lessen (something) in force or intensity; to moderate.
- To reduce (something) in amount or size.
- To cut away or hammer down (material from metalwork, a sculpture, etc.) in such a way as to leave a figure in relief.
- To lower (something) in price or value.
- To demolish or level to the ground (a building or other structure).
- To give no consideration to (something); to treat as an exception.
- To dull (an edge, point, etc.); to blunt.
- To make (a writ or other legal document) void; to nullify.
- To put an end to (a nuisance).
- To dismiss or otherwise bring to an end (legal proceedings) before they are completed, especially on procedural grounds rather than on the merits.
- To curtail or end (something); to cause to cease.
- To give (someone) a discount or rebate; also, to relieve (someone) of a debt.
- Abatement; reduction; (countable) an instance of this.
- Deduction; subtraction; (countable) an instance of this.
- To enter upon and unlawfully seize (land) after the owner has died, thus preventing an heir from taking possession of it.
- An Italian abbot or other member of the clergy.
- In the habit of.
- A surname from Italian.
Pronunciation
Word forms
Etymology
From Middle English abaten, from Anglo-Norman abatre, from Late Latin abbattere, from Latin battere. detailed etymology, sense derivation, and cognates The verb is derived from Middle English abaten (“to demolish, knock down; to defeat, strike down; to strike or take down (a sail); to throw down; to bow dejectedly or submissively; to be dejected; to stop; to defeat, humiliate; to repeal (a law); to dismiss or quash (a lawsuit); to lessen, reduce; to injure, impair; to appease; to decline, grow less; to deduct, subtract; to make one’s way; attack (an enemy); (law) to enter or intrude upon (someone’s property); of a hawk: to beat or flap the wings”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman abater, abatier, abatre, abbatre, Middle French abattre, abatre, abattre, Old French abatre, abattre (“to demolish, knock down; to bring down, cut down; to lessen, reduce; to suppress; to stop; to discourage; to impoverish, ruin; to conquer; to overthrow; to kill; to remove (money) from circulation; (law) to annul”), from Late Latin abbattere (“to bring down, take down; to suppress; to debase (currency)”), from Latin ab- (prefix meaning ‘away; from; away from’) + Latin battere, from older battuere (“to beat, hit; to beat up; to fight”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰedʰ- (“to dig; to stab”)). The noun is derived from the verb.