abhor
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /əbˈhɔː/
ipa: /əbˈɔː/
ipa: /æbˈhɔɹ/
ipa: /əbˈhɔɹ/
rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)
Forms: form: abhors
form: abhorring
form: abhorred
form: abhorred
form: no-table-tags
form: glossary
form: abhor
form: abhor
form: abhorred
form: abhor
form: abhorrest
form: abhorred
form: abhorredst
form: abhors
form: abhorreth
form: abhorred
form: abhor
form: abhorred
form: abhor
form: abhorred
form: abhor
form: -
form: abhorring
form: abhorred
Etymology: First attested in 1449, from Middle English abhorren, borrowed from Middle French abhorrer, from Latin abhorreō (“shrink away from in horror”), from ab- (“from”) + horreō (“stand aghast, bristle with fear”).
Senses: examples: text: I absolutely abhor being stuck in traffic jams.
text: Let loue bee without dissimulation: abhorre that which is euill, cleaue to that which is good.
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Romans 12:9:
text: I have risked alienating some members with criticism of the war, reminding them, for example, that the Lord abhors our worship of the false gods of Western affluence, worldly power and high technology. I agree with Michael J. Easley, the senior pastor-teacher of Immanuel Bible Church in Springfield, when he says, "I think my 'job' is to clearly teach the Scriptures, not be persuaded by what may or may not be our people's views."
ref: 2003 April 20, Henry G. Brinton, “A Congregation Divided”, in The Washington Post, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 28 Jan 2024:
synonyms: detest
disdain
loathe
glosses: To regard (someone or something) as horrifying or detestable; to feel great repugnance toward.
examples: text: But neuer taynt my Loue. I cannot say Whore,
It do's abhorre me now I speake the word,
To do the Act, that might the addition earne,
Not the worlds Masse of vanitie could make me.
ref: c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii], page 332, column 2:
glosses: To fill with horror or disgust.
glosses: To turn aside or avoid; to keep away from; to reject.
examples: text: I vtterly abhorre; yea, from my Soule
Refuse you for my Iudge, whom yet once more
I hold my most malicious Foe, and thinke not
At all a Friend to truth.
ref: 1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv], page 216, column 2:
qualifier: canon law
glosses: To protest against; to reject solemnly.
examples: text: Also in those daunces were enterlased dities of wanton loue or ribaudry, with frequent remembrance of the moste vile idolis Venus and Bacchus, as it were that the daunce were to their honour and memorie, whiche most of all abhorred from Christes religion, sauerynge the auncient errour of paganysme.
ref: 1531, Thomas Elyot, “That all daunsinge is nat to be reproued”, in Ernest Rhys, editor, The Boke Named the Governour […] (Everyman’s Library), London: J[oseph] M[alaby] Dent & Co; New York, N.Y.: E[dward] P[ayson] Dutton & Co, published [1907], →OCLC, 1st book, page 86:
text: Either then the law by harmless and needful dispenses, which the gospel is now made to deny, must have anticipated and exceeded the grace of the gospel, or else must be found to have given politic and superficial graces without real pardon, saying in general, “do this and live,” and yet deceiving and damning underhand with unsound and hollow permissions; which is utterly abhorring from the end of all law, as hath been shewed.
ref: 1644, J[ohn] M[ilton], chapter VII, in The Doctrine or Discipline of Divorce: […], 2nd edition, London: [s.n.], →OCLC, book II, page 46:
glosses: To feel horror, disgust, or dislike (towards); to be contrary or averse (to); construed with from.
glosses: Differ entirely from.
Synonyms: sense: to regard as horrifying or detestable
word: hate
Derived terms: abhorrable
abhorration
Related terms: abhorred
abhorrence
abhorrency
abhorrent
abhorrently
abhorrer
abhorrible
abhorring