abate
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /əˈbeɪt/
rhymes: -eɪt
Forms: form: abates
form: abating
form: abated
form: abated
form: no-table-tags
form: glossary
form: abate
form: abate
form: abated
form: abate
form: abatest
form: abated
form: abatedst
form: abates
form: abateth
form: abated
form: abate
form: abated
form: abate
form: abated
form: abate
form: -
form: abating
form: abated
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.
Senses: examples: text: [Jupiter] whiche by his goodnes as Marcianus ſaieth, abateth the malice of Saturne. Therfore the Poets faine, that he did put his father out of his kingdome, Iſidore writeth as he abateth the malice of the euill Planets, […]
ref: 1576, Gerard Legh, “Azure”, in The Accedens of Armory, London: […] Richard Tottel, →OCLC, folios 6, verso – 7, recto:
text: Abate thy rage ſweete knight,
 Abate thy rage.
ref: 1599, [William Shakespeare], The Cronicle History of Henry the Fift, […] (First Quarto), London: […] Thomas Creede, for Tho[mas] Millington, and Iohn Busby, […], published 1600, →OCLC:
text: By the oft removal of a Wild-ſtock, cutting the ends of the Roots, and diſ-branching ſomewhat of the Head at every change of place, it will greatly abate of its natural wildneſs, and in time bring forth more civil and ingenuous Fruit: […]
ref: 1664, J[ohn] E[velyn], “Pomona, or An Appendix Concerning Fruit-trees, in Relation to Cider, […]. Chapter VI. Of Transplanting, and Distance.”, in Sylva, or A Discourse of Forest-trees and the Propagation of Timber in His Majesties Dominions. […], London: […] Jo[hn] Martyn, and Ja[mes] Allestry, printers to the Royal Society, […], →OCLC, page 17:
text: And it is to be noted that in the sharpest of his extreme fits he [George Herbert] would often say, 'Lord, abate my great affliction, or increase my patience; but, Lord, I repine not; I am dumb, Lord, before Thee, because Thou doest it.'
ref: 1670, Izaack Walton [i.e., Izaak Walton], “The Life of Mr George Herbert. […]”, in George Herbert, edited by Alexander B[alloch] Grosart, The Complete Works in Verse and Prose of George Herbert. […] (The Fuller Worthies’ Library), volume III (Prose), London: […] [Robson and Sons] for private circulation, published 1874, →OCLC, page 36:
text: In the one period, an hundred and fifty years of peace between the two nations, the habit of being ſubjected to the ſame King, and governed by the ſame maxims, had conſiderably abated old animoſities, and prepared both people for incorporating.
ref: 1759, William Robertson, “Book II”, in The History of Scotland, during the Reigns of Queen Mary and of King James VI, till His Accession to the Crown of England. […], volume I, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar […], →OCLC, page 86:
text: To abate the force of these considerations, an enemy of free discussion may be supposed to say, that there is no necessity for mankind in general to know and understand all that can be said against or for the opinions by philosophers and theologians.
ref: 1859, John Stuart Mill, “Of the Liberty of Thought and Discussion”, in On Liberty, London: John W[illiam] Parker and Son, […], →OCLC, pages 68–69:
text: O, Blessed Bean! How often have I ate
 Whole plates of Thee, my hunger to abate!
 And thou abatedst it, Thou didst indeed,
 Thou ever over-satisfying feed!
ref: 1937, J. C. Murray, “To the Lusty Legume”, in E[ugene] L[ouis] Chicanot, editor, Rhymes of the Miner: An Anthology of Canadian Mining Verse, Gardenvale, Que.: Federal Publications, →OCLC, stanza 2, page 181:
synonyms: alleviate
assuage
diminish
lower
mitigate
relax
remit
temper
ease
antonyms: aggravate
amplify
augment
enhance
foment
increase
intensify
magnify
raise
glosses: To lessen (something) in force or intensity; to moderate.
examples: text: Thou haſt dominion ouer their power, and when they be exalted & ſet aloft in their waies, thou abateſt their courage, and deſtroyeſt them with thy mighty arme.
ref: 1599, [George Flinton, compiler and transl.], “Praiers for Svnneday, Containing Laudes, Praises & Thanks-giuing, for the Benefits that God hath Bestowed vpon Vs. [A Psalme in which the Goodnesse of God is Praised.]”, in A Manvall of Praiers, Gathered Ovt of Many Famous & Good Authors, as well Auncient, as of the Time Present. […], Calicè [Calais; actually London: s.n.], →OCLC, pages 77–78:
text: And receive into thy heart the instructions that I shall give thee now, and see that thou swerve not from them, nor abatest them a jot; for if thou observest them not, or departest in aught from them, thou wilt bring damnation upon thy soul; […]
ref: 1814, Robert Southey, “Notes”, in Roderick, the Last of the Goths, London: […] [F]or Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […], by James Ballantyne and Co. […], →OCLC, page cxi:
text: […] Lance, after having made some shew of helping him to his horse, ran back to tell his master the joyful intelligence, that a lucky accident had abated Chiffinch's party to their own number.
ref: 1822, [Walter Scott], chapter IV, in Peveril of the Peak. […], volume III, Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, page 100:
synonyms: decrease
lessen
antonyms: enlarge
increase
glosses: To reduce (something) in amount or size.
synonyms: decrease
lessen
antonyms: enlarge
increase
glosses: 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.
examples: text: Few words drive a bargain with Peter Eskett. I never abate one farthing of my price; but then that price never asks more than a fair profit.
ref: 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XVII, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume II, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 201:
glosses: To lower (something) in price or value.
examples: text: […] the kyng of Scottes […] with all hys hoſte and power entered into Englande (and threw doune pyles) the .xxij. daye of August, and planted hys ſiege before the Caſtell of Norham, and ſore abated the walles.
ref: a. 1548 (date written), Edward Hall, Richard Grafton, “[The Triumphant Reigne of Kyng Henry the VIII.] The .V. Yere.”, in The Vnion of the Two Noble and Illustre Famelies of Lancastre & Yorke, […], London: […] Richardi Graftoni […], published 1548, →OCLC:
glosses: To demolish or level to the ground (a building or other structure).
examples: text: Abate throw at Nouum, and the whole world againe,
 Cannot picke out fiue ſuch, take each one in his vaine.
ref: c. 1595–1596 (date written), W. Shakespere [i.e., William Shakespeare], A Pleasant Conceited Comedie Called, Loues Labors Lost. […] (First Quarto), London: […] W[illiam] W[hite] for Cut[h]bert Burby, published 1598, →OCLC; republished as Shakspere’s Loves Labours Lost (Shakspere-Quarto Facsimiles; no. 5), London: W[illiam] Griggs, […], [1880], →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:
text: Sir, he was not Scotch; and, abating his brutality, he was a very good maſter.
ref: 1791, James Boswell, “[1772]”, in James Boswell, editor, The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. […], volume I, London: […] Henry Baldwin, for Charles Dilly, […], →OCLC, page 353:
glosses: To give no consideration to (something); to treat as an exception.
examples: text: Abate the edge of traitors gracious Lord,
 That vvould reduce theſe bloudy daies againe,
 And make poore England vveepe in ſtreames of bloud, […]
ref: c. 1593 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The Tragedy of King Richard the Third. […] (First Quarto), London: […] Valentine Sims [and Peter Short] for Andrew Wise, […], published 1597, →OCLC, [Act V, scene viii]:
text: Wherefore you ſhall obſerue that the more deepe, and ſober ſort of Politique perſons, in their Greatneſſe, are euer bemoaning themſelues, what a Life they lead; Chanting a Quanta patimur. Not that they feele it ſo, but onely to abate the Edge of Enuy.
ref: 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Enuy. IX.”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC, pages 45–46:
glosses: To dull (an edge, point, etc.); to blunt.
examples: text: to abate a writ
topics: law
glosses: To make (a writ or other legal document) void; to nullify.
examples: text: She was ordered by the court to abate the nuisance.
text: […] the law allows an extrajudicial remedy, yet that does not exclude the ordinary courſe of juſtice: […] I may either abate a nuſance by my own authority, or call upon the law to do it for me: […]
ref: 1768, William Blackstone, “Of Courts in General”, in Commentaries on the Laws of England, book III (Of Private Wrongs), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 22:
topics: law
glosses: To put an end to (a nuisance).
topics: law
glosses: To dismiss or otherwise bring to an end (legal proceedings) before they are completed, especially on procedural grounds rather than on the merits.
examples: text: to order restrictions to abate an emergency
synonyms: cut short
stop
suppress
terminate
glosses: To curtail or end (something); to cause to cease.
examples: text: […] when I talk'd of a lodging I had heard of, nearer my business, for two shillings a week, which, intent as I now was on saving money, made some difference, she bid me not think of it, for she would abate me two shillings a week for the future; so I remained with her at one shilling and sixpence as long as I staid in London.
ref: 1771–1790, Benjamin Franklin, “The Autobiography [Part 1]”, in John Bigelow, editor, Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. […], Philadelphia, Pa.: J[oshua] B[allinger] Lippincott & Co., published 1868, →OCLC, page 150:
glosses: To give (someone) a discount or rebate; also, to relieve (someone) of a debt.
examples: text: He is honoured amonge theym that be honoured, that fortune abateth without faute: and he is shamed amonge theym that be shamed, that fortune inhanceth without merite.
ref: 1534, John Bourchier, 2nd Baron Berners, The golden boke of Marcus Aurelius, page 132:
text: Rules and axioms for preserving of a Kingdom.[…]If any great person to be abated, not to deal with him by calumniation or forged matter[…]
ref: 1618, Sir Walter Raleigh, “Maxims of State”, in Remains of Sir Walter Raleigh, published 1669, page 27:
text: So long as the world lived by sense, and discourses of natural reason, as they were abated with human infirmities, and not at all heightened by the Spirit and divine revelation[…]
ref: 1653, Jeremy Taylor, “Twenty-five Sermons Preached at Golden Grove; Being for the Winter Half-year, […]: Sermon IX. The faith and patience of the saints; or, the righteous cause oppressed.”, in Reginald Heber, editor, The Whole Works of the Right Rev. Jeremy Taylor, D.D. […], volume V, London: Ogle, Duncan, and Co. […]; and Richard Priestley, […], published 1822, →OCLC, page 523:
synonyms: abase
depress
humble
glosses: To bring down (someone) mentally or physically; to lower (someone) in status.
examples: text: We will abate this price from the total.
text: Peter-pence succeeded; granted by Ina, king of the West Saxons, to pope Gregory II. anno 626. It was a penny paid for every chimney that smoked in England, which in that hospitable age had few smokeless ones; […] Now, though none can tell what these amounted to, yet conjecture may be made, by descending to such proportions, which no rational man will deny. Allowing nine thousand parishes (abating the odd hundreds) in England and Wales, a hundred houses in every parish, two chimneys in every house, one with another, it ariseth unto a yearly sum of seven thousand five hundred pounds.
ref: 1655, Thomas Fuller, “Section III. To the Right Worshipful Sir Richard Shugborough, of Shugborough in Warwickshire.”, in The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=I to XI), subsection 30–43 (Pope’s Profit by Sale of Trinkets, […]), page 54:
text: Three shillings and eightpence, your worship—I could not abate a penny and set forth the value honestly.
ref: 1881, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], “The Prince a Prisoner”, in The Prince and the Pauper: A Tale for Young People of All Ages, Montreal, Que.: Dawson Brothers, →OCLC, page 186:
glosses: Chiefly followed by from, of, etc.: to omit or remove (a part from a whole); to deduct, to subtract.
examples: text: She hath abated me of halfe my traine,
 Lookt blacke vpon me, ſtrooke mee with her tongue
 Moſt Serpent-like vpon the very heart, […]
ref: c. 1603–1606 (date written), [William Shakespeare], […] His True Chronicle Historie of the Life and Death of King Lear and His Three Daughters. […] (First Quarto), London: […] Nathaniel Butter, […], published 1608, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:
text: But O Saint! be not thou an Epicure! If delight draw thy heart, thou loſeſt ſo much in delectation, as Religion; and abateſt thy Soul ſo much of Solace, as God of Service!
ref: 1659, Philo-Christianus [pseudonym; William Brough], “A Service of the Pleasures of Piety, for Sunday or Other Day. [A Meditation of the Pleasures of Piety.]”, in Sacred Principles, Services and Soliloquies: Or, A Manual of Devotions Made Up of Three Parts: […], 4th edition, London: […] J[ohn] G[rismond] for John Clark, […], →OCLC, page 260:
glosses: Chiefly followed by of: to deprive (someone or something of another thing).
examples: text: […] Plini writeth, that the crueltie of the Ramme abateth, if he bee perced in the horne neare vnto the eare. For the chiefeſt parte of his ſtrength, is in his hedd, where he is well armed to fighte.
ref: 1576, Gerard Legh, The Accedens of Armory, London: […] Richard Tottel, →OCLC, folio 53, verso:
text: [folio 8, verso] For Winters wrath beginnes to quell,
 And pleaſant ſpryng appeareth. […] [folio 10, recto] Gloss. […] To quell) to abate.
ref: 1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “March. Ægloga Tertia.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Hugh Singleton, […], →OCLC, folio 10, recto:
text: My fury ſhall abate,
 And I the Crownes will take.
ref: 1599 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The Cronicle History of Henry the Fift, […] (First Quarto), London: […] Thomas Creede, for Tho[mas] Millington, and Iohn Busby […], published 1600, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iv]:
text: And Moſes was an hundred and twentie yeeres olde when he died: his eye was not dimme, nor his naturall force abated.
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Deuteronomy 34:7, column 1:
text: When Winter's rage abates, when chearful Hours
 Awake the Spring, and Spring awakes the Flow'rs,
 On the green Turf thy careleſs Limbs diſplay,
 And celebrate the mighty Mother's day.
ref: 1697, Virgil, “The First Book of the Georgics”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 63, lines 463–466:
text: The third Day in the Morning, the Wind having abated over Night, the Sea was calm, and I ventur'd; but I am a warning Piece again to all raſh and ignorant Pilots; for no ſooner was I come to the Point, when even I was not my Boat's Length from the Shore, but I found my ſelf in a great Depth of Water, and a Current like the Sluice of a Mill: […]
ref: 1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC, page 163:
text: CODS, or Stones swelled; a malady in horſes that comes in many ways, […] For the cure, take bole armoniac reduced to a fine powder, vinegar and whites of eggs well beaten together, and anoint the part with it daily, till the ſwelling abates: […]
ref: 1785, “CODS”, in The Sportsman’s Dictionary; or, The Gentleman’s Companion: For Town and Country. […], 3rd edition, London: […] G. G[eorge] J[ohn] and J[ames] Robinson, […], →OCLC, column 2:
text: […] during the eighteen years which had elapsed since the Restoration, the hatred of Puritanism had abated, and the hatred of Popery had increased.
ref: 1849, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter II, in The History of England from the Accession of James II, volume I, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC, page 231:
text: Counselors who support young job seekers have noticed their optimism abating. Rebecca Cassidy, who works at Georgetown University’s career center, was surprised by the relaxed attitude that students seemed to adopt toward their job searches last year.
ref: 2022 October 7, Emma Goldberg, “The Job Market Has Been Like Musical Chairs. Will the Music Stop?”, in The New York Times:
synonyms: decline
ebb
slacken
soften
wane
glosses: To decrease in force or intensity; to subside.
examples: text: And the waters returned from aboue the earth, going and returning: and after the end of the hundreth and fiftieth day the waters abated.
ref: 1560, [William Whittingham et al., transl.], The Bible and Holy Scriptures Conteyned in the Olde and Newe Testament. […] (the Geneva Bible), Geneva: […] Rouland Hall, →OCLC, Genesis VIII:3, folio 4, recto:
text: […] the same greatness of wealth is for the most part not collected and obtained without sucking it from many, according to the received similitude of the spleen, which never swelleth but when the rest of the body pineth and abateth.
ref: a. 1627 (date written), Francis Bacon, “Of the True Greatness of the Kingdom of Britain”, in James Spedding, Robert Leslie Ellis, and Douglas Denon Heath, editors, The Works of Francis Bacon, […], volume VII, London: Longman, Green, and Co.; […], published 1859, →OCLC, page 60:
text: Whether fagged by the three days' running chase, and the resistance to his swimming in the knotted hamper he bore; or whether it was some latent deceitfulness and malice in him: whichever was true, the White Whale's way now began to abate, as it seemed, from the boat so rapidly nearing him once more; though indeed the whale's last start had not been so long a one as before.
ref: 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “The Chase.—Third Day.”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 629:
glosses: To decrease in amount or size.
examples: text: Bequests and legacies are liable to be abated entirely or in proportion, upon a deficiency of assets.
text: And in the caſe of a deficiency of aſſets, all the general legacies muſt abate proportionably, in order to pay the debts; but a ſpecific legacy (of a piece of plate, a horſe, or the like) is not to abate at all, or allow any thing by way of abatement, unleſs there be not ſufficient without it.
ref: 1766, William Blackstone, “Of Title by Testament, and Administration”, in Commentaries on the Laws of England, book II (Of the Rights of Things), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC, pages 512–513:
glosses: To lower in price or value; (law) specifically, of a bequest in a will: to lower in value because the testator's estate is insufficient to satisfy all the bequests in full.
examples: text: The third ſhild yelow, ſignifying the Barriers, and he that toucheth that ſhilde ſhalbee anſwered twelve ſtrokes at the Barriers, wyth the ſworde, edge and poynt abated.
ref: a. 1548 (date written), Edward Hall, Richard Grafton, “[The Triumphant Reigne of Kyng Henry the VIII.] The .XVI. Yere.”, in The Vnion of the Two Noble and Illustre Famelies of Lancastre & Yorke, […], London: […] Richardi Graftoni […], published 1548, →OCLC:
glosses: Of an edge, point, etc.: to become blunt or dull.
examples: text: The writ has abated.
text: But where the Writ abateth for default of the Clerk, as where it abateth for falſe Latin, or variance, or want of form, there the defendant ſhall have the benefit of a new Writ by Journeys Accompts, becauſe it was the fault of the Clerk of the Chancery, and not the fault of the defendant himſelf, […]
ref: 1680, Edward Coke, “Where a Writ shall be Brought by Journeys Accompts. Hill. 45 Eliz. Rot. 36. in the Common Pleas. Spencer’s Case.”, in The Reports of Sir Edward Coke, Kt. […], 2nd edition, London: […] H. Twyford, […], →OCLC, part VI, page 375:
text: If a Writ of Error abates or diſcontinues by the Act and Default of the Party, a ſecond Writ of Error ſhall be no Superſedeas; otherwiſe if it abates or diſcontinues by the Act of God or the Law.
ref: 1778, Matthew Bacon [i.e., Mathew Bacon], “Error”, in A New Abridgement of the Law. […], 4th edition, London: […] W[illiam] Strahan and M. Woodfall, […]; for C. Bathurst, […], →OCLC, section G (Of the Proceedings after the Record Removed, and herein of the Abatement of the Writ of Error), page 209:
topics: law
glosses: Of a writ or other legal document: to become null and void; to cease to have effect.
examples: text: […] in actions ariſing ex contractu, by breach of promiſe and the like, where the right deſcends to the repreſentatives of the plaintiff, and thoſe of the defendant have aſſets to anſwer the demand, though the ſuits ſhall abate by the death of the parties, yet they may be revived againſt or by the executors: being indeed rather actions againſt the property than the perſon, in which the executors now have the ſame intereſt that their teſtator had before.
ref: 1768, William Blackstone, “Of Pleading”, in Commentaries on the Laws of England, book III (Of Private Wrongs), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 302:
topics: law
glosses: Of legal proceedings: to be dismissed or otherwise brought to an end before they are completed, especially on procedural grounds rather than on the merits.
glosses: To give a discount or rebate; to discount, to rebate.
glosses: To bow down; hence, to be abased or humbled.
examples: text: So toilsome was the road to trace,
 The guide, abating of his pace,
 Led slowly through the pass's jaws, […]
ref: 1810, Walter Scott, “Canto V. The Combat.”, in The Lady of the Lake; […], Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for John Ballantyne and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, and William Miller, →OCLC, stanza III, page 194:
text: So then, weighing all things well, and myself severely, I resolved to follow my Mentor's wise counsel; neither arrogating aught, nor abating of just dues; but circulating freely, sociably, and frankly, among the gods, heroes, high-priests, kings, and gentlemen, that made up the principalities of Mardi.
ref: 1849, Herman Melville, “Taji Takes Counsel with Himself”, in Mardi: And a Voyage Thither. […], volume I, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC, pages 208–209:
glosses: Chiefly followed by of: to deduct or subtract from.
Derived terms: abatable
abatee
abatement
abate of
abater
bate
unabated
unabatement
unabating
Related terms: abatis
abator
abattoir