abandon
Use Abandon in a sentence
dən verb (used with object)
1.
to leave completely and finally; forsake utterly; desert: to abandon one's farm; to abandon a child; to abandon a sinking ship.
2.
to give up; discontinue; withdraw from: to abandon a research project; to abandon hopes for a stage career.
3.
to give up the control of: to abandon a city to an enemy army.
4.
to yield (oneself) without restraint or moderation; give (oneself) over to natural impulses, usually without self-control: to abandon oneself to grief.
5.
Law. to cast away, leave, or desert, as property or a child.
Origin:
1325–75; Middle English abando(u)nen < Middle French abandoner for Old French (mettre) a bandon (put) under (someone's) jurisdiction, equivalent to a at, to (< Latin ad; see ad-) + bandon < Germanic *band; see bond1
1325–75; Middle English abando(u)nen < Middle French abandoner for Old French (mettre) a bandon (put) under (someone's) jurisdiction, equivalent to a at, to (< Latin ad; see ad-) + bandon < Germanic *band; see bond1
Related forms
a·ban·don·a·ble, adjective
a·ban·don·er, noun
a·ban·don·ment, noun
non·a·ban·don·ment, noun
un·a·ban·don·ing, adjective
Synonyms
1. See desert2. 2. Abandon, relinquish, renounce mean to give up all concern in something. Abandon means to give up or discontinue any further interest in something because of discouragement, weariness, distaste, or the like: to abandon one's efforts. Relinquish implies being or feeling compelled to give up something one would prefer to keep: to relinquish a long-cherished desire. Renounce implies making (and perhaps formally stating) a voluntary decision to give something up: to renounce worldly pleasures. 3. yield, surrender, resign, waive, abdicate.
1. See desert2. 2. Abandon, relinquish, renounce mean to give up all concern in something. Abandon means to give up or discontinue any further interest in something because of discouragement, weariness, distaste, or the like: to abandon one's efforts. Relinquish implies being or feeling compelled to give up something one would prefer to keep: to relinquish a long-cherished desire. Renounce implies making (and perhaps formally stating) a voluntary decision to give something up: to renounce worldly pleasures. 3. yield, surrender, resign, waive, abdicate.
Antonyms
1. keep. 2. continue; begin, start. 3. retain.
1. keep. 2. continue; begin, start. 3. retain.
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Abandon
is a TOEFL word you need to know.
So is notorious. Does it mean:
| being the first or earliest of the kind or in existence, esp. in an early age of the world: |
| widely and unfavorably known |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
noun
a complete surrender to natural impulses without restraint or moderation; freedom from inhibition or conventionality: to dance with reckless abandon.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To abandon
Collins
World English Dictionary
abandon (əˈbændən) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | to forsake completely; desert; leave behind: to abandon a baby; drivers had to abandon their cars |
| 2. | abandon ship the order given to the crew of a ship that is about to sink to take to the lifeboats |
| 3. | to give up completely: to abandon a habit; to abandon hope |
| 4. | to yield control of or concern in; relinquish: to abandon office |
| 5. | to give up (something begun) before completion: to abandon a job; the game was abandoned |
| 6. | to surrender (oneself) to emotion without restraint |
| 7. | to give (insured property that has suffered partial loss or damage) to the insurers in order that a claim for a total loss may be made |
| —n | |
| 8. | freedom from inhibitions, restraint, concern, or worry: she danced with abandon |
| [C14: abandounen (vb), from Old French, from a bandon under one's control, in one's power, from a at, to + bandon control, power] | |
| a'bandonment | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
abandon
late 14c., "to subjugate, subdue," from O.Fr. abandoner "surrender," from à "at, to" + bandon "power, jurisdiction," in phrase mettre à bandon "to give up to a public ban," from L. bannum, "proclamation," from a Frankish word related to ban (v.). Etymologically,
the word carries a sense of "put someone under someone else's control." Meaning "to give up absolutely" is from late 14c. Related: Abandoned; abandoning. The noun sense of "letting loose, surrender to natural impulses" (1822) is from Fr. abandon.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Cite This Source
Example sentences
Soldiers no longer careered with abandon through city streets in cars bearing the red license plates of the military command.
Asians were told to abandon the model that had seemingly served them so well for two decades but was now seen to be faltering.
Digital-only storefront streamlines the process of consuming games with wanton abandon.
Some students may chose to abandon their education if they find it frustrating or unrewarding and lack support.
Nearby Words
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