4 definitions found
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Abate \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
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Abate \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.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Abate \A*bate\ ([.a]*b[=a]t"), n.
Abatement. [Obs.] --Sir T. Browne.
From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]:
abate
v 1: make less active or intense [syn: {slake}, {slack}]
2: become less in amount or intensity; "The storm abated" [syn:
{let up}, {slack off}, {slack}, {die away}]
more about abate
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