Main Entry: abate·ment Pronunciation: &-'bAt-m&nt Function: noun 1: the act or process of abating or the state of being abated
<challenged the abatement of her bequest> <abatement of a private nuisance by self-help —W. L. Prosser and W. Pacific Reporter Keeton> 2: an amount
abated :DEDUCTION; especially: a deduction from the full amount of a tax—in abatement: subject to termination because of a formal or procedural defect <there shall be no reversal in the Supreme Court…for error in ruling upon matters in abatement —U.S.
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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"ment\ (-ment), n. [OF. abatement, F. abattement.]1. The act of abating, or the state of being abated; a lessening, diminution, or reduction; removal or putting an end to; as, the abatement of a nuisance is the suppression thereof. 2. The amount abated; that which is taken away by way of reduction; deduction; decrease; a rebate or discount allowed. 3. (Her.) A mark of dishonor on an escutcheon. 4. (Law) The entry of a stranger, without right, into a freehold after the death of the last possessor, before the heir or devisee. --Blackstone. Defense in abatement, Plea in abatement, (Law), plea to the effect that from some formal defect (e.g. misnomer, want of jurisdiction) the proceedings should be abated.
Ad*di"tion\, n. [F. addition, L. additio, fr. addere to add.]1. The act of adding two or more things together; -- opposed to subtraction or diminution. "This endless addition or addibility of numbers." --Locke. 2. Anything added; increase; augmentation; as, a piazza is an addition to a building. 3. (Math.) That part of arithmetic which treats of adding numbers. 4. (Mus.) A dot at the right side of a note as an indication that its sound is to be lengthened one half. [R.] 5. (Law) A title annexed to a man's name, to identify him more precisely; as, John Doe, Esq.; Richard Roe, Gent.; Robert Dale, Mason; Thomas Way, of New York; a mark of distinction; a title. 6. (Her.) Something added to a coat of arms, as a mark of honor; -- opposed to abatement. Vector addition (Geom.), that kind of addition of two lines, or vectors, AB and BC, by which their sum is regarded as the line, or vector, AC. Syn: Increase; accession; augmentation; appendage; adjunct.
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