c.1270, from O.Fr. abattre "beat down," from L. ad "to" + battuere "to beat" (see batter (v.)). Secondary sense of "to fell, slaughter" is in abatis and abattoir.
Main Entry: abate Pronunciation: &-'bAt Function: verb Inflected Forms: abat·ed; abat·ing Etymology: Old French abattre,
literally, to knock down, from a-, prefix stressing result + battre to beat transitive verb 1 a: to put an end to or do away with <abate a nuisance>
b: make void :NULLIFY <abate an action> 2: to reduce in amount esp.
proportionately <abate a tax> intransitive verb 1: to become defeated or become null or void <when a public officer is a party to an appeal…in an official capacity
and during its pendency dies…the action does not abate —Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure Rule 43> 2: to decrease in amount or value <the legacies
abated proportionately> NOTE: A problem arises in estate law when the amount of the bequests and devises made in a will exceeds the assets available in the estate. In such a case, some
or all of the bequests and devises may have to be abated to make up the deficit. Under the Uniform Probate Code, property in the estate that is not specifically given under the will abates first,
residuary devises abate second, general devises abate third, and specific devises abate last.
A*bate"\ ([.a]*b[=a]t"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abated, p. pr. & vb. n. Abating.] [OF. abatre to beat down, F. abattre, LL. abatere; ab or ad + batere, battere (popular form for L. batuere to beat). Cf. Bate, Batter.]1. To beat down; to overthrow. [Obs.] The King of Scots . . . sore abated the walls. --Edw. Hall. 2. To bring down or reduce from a higher to a lower state, number, or degree; to lessen; to diminish; to contract; to moderate; to cut short; as, to abate a demand; to abate pride, zeal, hope. His eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated. --Deut. xxxiv. 7. 3. To deduct; to omit; as, to abate something from a price. Nine thousand parishes, abating the odd hundreds. --Fuller. 4. To blunt. [Obs.] To abate the edge of envy. --Bacon. 5. To reduce in estimation; to deprive. [Obs.] She hath abated me of half my train. --Shak. 6. (Law) (a) To bring entirely down or put an end to; to do away with; as, to abate a nuisance, to abate a writ. (b) (Eng. Law) To diminish; to reduce. Legacies are liable to be abated entirely or in proportion, upon a deficiency of assets. To abate a tax, to remit it either wholly or in part.
A*bate"\ ([.a]*b[=a]t"), v. i. [See Abate, v. t.]1. To decrease, or become less in strength or violence; as, pain abates, a storm abates. The fury of Glengarry . . . rapidly abated. --Macaulay. 2. To be defeated, or come to naught; to fall through; to fail; as, a writ abates. To abate into a freehold, To abate in lands (Law), to enter into a freehold after the death of the last possessor, and before the heir takes possession. See Abatement, 4. Syn: To subside; decrease; intermit; decline; diminish; lessen. Usage: To Abate, Subside. These words, as here compared, imply a coming down from some previously raised or excited state. Abate expresses this in respect to degrees, and implies a diminution of force or of intensity; as, the storm abates, the cold abates, the force of the wind abates; or, the wind abates, a fever abates. Subside (to settle down) has reference to a previous state of agitation or commotion; as, the waves subside after a storm, the wind subsides into a calm. When the words are used figuratively, the same distinction should be observed. If we conceive of a thing as having different degrees of intensity or strength, the word to be used is abate. Thus we say, a man's anger abates, the ardor of one's love abates, "Winter's rage abates". But if the image be that of a sinking down into quiet from preceding excitement or commotion, the word to be used is subside; as, the tumult of the people subsides, the public mind subsided into a calm. The same is the case with those emotions which are tumultuous in their nature; as, his passion subsides, his joy quickly subsided, his grief subsided into a pleasing melancholy. Yet if, in such cases, we were thinking of the degree of violence of the emotion, we might use abate; as, his joy will abate in the progress of time; and so in other instances.
A*bate"\ ([.a]*b[=a]t"), v. i. [See Abate, v. t.]1. To decrease, or become less in strength or violence; as, pain abates, a storm abates. The fury of Glengarry . . . rapidly abated. --Macaulay. 2. To be defeated, or come to naught; to fall through; to fail; as, a writ abates. To abate into a freehold, To abate in lands (Law), to enter into a freehold after the death of the last possessor, and before the heir takes possession. See Abatement, 4. Syn: To subside; decrease; intermit; decline; diminish; lessen. Usage: To Abate, Subside. These words, as here compared, imply a coming down from some previously raised or excited state. Abate expresses this in respect to degrees, and implies a diminution of force or of intensity; as, the storm abates, the cold abates, the force of the wind abates; or, the wind abates, a fever abates. Subside (to settle down) has reference to a previous state of agitation or commotion; as, the waves subside after a storm, the wind subsides into a calm. When the words are used figuratively, the same distinction should be observed. If we conceive of a thing as having different degrees of intensity or strength, the word to be used is abate. Thus we say, a man's anger abates, the ardor of one's love abates, "Winter's rage abates". But if the image be that of a sinking down into quiet from preceding excitement or commotion, the word to be used is subside; as, the tumult of the people subsides, the public mind subsided into a calm. The same is the case with those emotions which are tumultuous in their nature; as, his passion subsides, his joy quickly subsided, his grief subsided into a pleasing melancholy. Yet if, in such cases, we were thinking of the degree of violence of the emotion, we might use abate; as, his joy will abate in the progress of time; and so in other instances.
A*bate"\ ([.a]*b[=a]t"), v. i. [See Abate, v. t.]1. To decrease, or become less in strength or violence; as, pain abates, a storm abates. The fury of Glengarry . . . rapidly abated. --Macaulay. 2. To be defeated, or come to naught; to fall through; to fail; as, a writ abates. To abate into a freehold, To abate in lands (Law), to enter into a freehold after the death of the last possessor, and before the heir takes possession. See Abatement, 4. Syn: To subside; decrease; intermit; decline; diminish; lessen. Usage: To Abate, Subside. These words, as here compared, imply a coming down from some previously raised or excited state. Abate expresses this in respect to degrees, and implies a diminution of force or of intensity; as, the storm abates, the cold abates, the force of the wind abates; or, the wind abates, a fever abates. Subside (to settle down) has reference to a previous state of agitation or commotion; as, the waves subside after a storm, the wind subsides into a calm. When the words are used figuratively, the same distinction should be observed. If we conceive of a thing as having different degrees of intensity or strength, the word to be used is abate. Thus we say, a man's anger abates, the ardor of one's love abates, "Winter's rage abates". But if the image be that of a sinking down into quiet from preceding excitement or commotion, the word to be used is subside; as, the tumult of the people subsides, the public mind subsided into a calm. The same is the case with those emotions which are tumultuous in their nature; as, his passion subsides, his joy quickly subsided, his grief subsided into a pleasing melancholy. Yet if, in such cases, we were thinking of the degree of violence of the emotion, we might use abate; as, his joy will abate in the progress of time; and so in other instances.
Ab"a*tis\, Abattis \Aba"t*tis\, ([a^]b"[.a]*t[i^]s; French [.a]`b[.a]`t[=e]") n. [F. abatis, abattis, mass of things beaten or cut down, fr. abattre. See Abate.] (Fort.) A means of defense formed by felled trees, the ends of whose branches are sharpened and directed outwards, or against the enemy.
A`bat`toir"\ ([.a]`b[.a]t`tw[aum]r"), n.; pl. Abattoirs (-tw[aum]rz"). [F., fr. abattre to beat down. See Abate.] A public slaughterhouse for cattle, sheep, etc.
Ab"a*ture\ ([.a]b"[.a]*t[-u]r; 135), n. [F. abatture, fr. abattre. See Abate.] Grass and sprigs beaten or trampled down by a stag passing through them. --Crabb.
Bat"ter\ (b[a^]t"t[~e]r), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Battered (-t[~e]rd); p. pr. & vb. n. Battering.] [OE. bateren, OF. batre, F. battre, fr. LL. battere, for L. batuere to strike, beat; of unknown origin. Cf. Abate, Bate to abate.]1. To beat with successive blows; to beat repeatedly and with violence, so as to bruise, shatter, or demolish; as, to batter a wall or rampart. 2. To wear or impair as if by beating or by hard usage. "Each battered jade." --Pope. 3. (Metallurgy) To flatten (metal) by hammering, so as to compress it inwardly and spread it outwardly.
De*bate"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Debated; p. pr. & vb. n. Debating.] [OF. debatre, F. d['e]battre; L. de + batuere to beat. See Batter, v. t., and cf. Abate.]1. To engage in combat for; to strive for. Volunteers . . . thronged to serve under his banner, and the cause of religion was debated with the same ardor in Spain as on the plains of Palestine. --Prescott. 2. To contend for in words or arguments; to strive to maintain by reasoning; to dispute; to contest; to discuss; to argue for and against. A wise council . . . that did debate this business. --Shak. Debate thy cause with thy neighbor himself. --Prov. xxv. 9. Syn: To argue; discuss; dispute; controvert. See Argue, and Discuss.
Free"hold`\, n. (LAw) An estate in real property, of inheritance (in fee simple or fee tail) or for life; or the tenure by which such estate is held. --Kent. Burrill. To abate into a freehold. See under Abate.
Re*bate"\, v. t. [F. rebattre to beat again; pref re- re- + battre to beat, L. batuere to beat, strike. See Abate.]1. To beat to obtuseness; to deprive of keenness; to blunt; to turn back the point of, as a lance used for exercise. But doth rebate and blunt his natural edge. --Shak. 2. To deduct from; to make a discount from, as interest due, or customs duties. --Blount. Rebated cross, a cross which has the extremities of the arms bent back at right angles, as in the fylfot.
Sub*side"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Subsided; p. pr. & vb. n. Subsiding.] [L. subsidere; sub under, below + sidere to sit down, to settle; akin to sedere to sit, E. sit. See Sit.]1. To sink or fall to the bottom; to settle, as lees. 2. To tend downward; to become lower; to descend; to sink. "Heaven's subsiding hill." --Dryden. 3. To fall into a state of quiet; to cease to rage; to be calmed; to settle down; to become tranquil; to abate; as, the sea subsides; the tumults of war will subside; the fever has subsided. "In cases of danger, pride and envy naturally subside." --C. Middleton. Syn: See Abate.
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Audio Help [uh-beyt] Pronunciation Key verb, a·bat·ed, a·bat·ing. 
