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abdicate

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abdicate


  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Abdicate  \Ab"di*cate\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Abdicated};  p.  pr  & 
  vb  n.  {Abdicating}.]  [L.  abdicatus  p.  p.  of  abdicare  ab  + 
  dicare  to  proclaim,  akin  to  dicere  to  say  See  {Diction}.] 
  1.  To  surrender  or  relinquish,  as  sovereign  power;  to 
  withdraw  definitely  from  filling  or  exercising,  as  a  high 
  office,  station,  dignity;  as  to  abdicate  the  throne,  the 
  crown,  the  papacy. 
 
  Note:  The  word  abdicate  was  held  to  mean  in  the  case  of 
  James  II.,  to  abandon  without  a  formal  surrender. 
 
  The  cross-bearers  abdicated  their  service. 
  --Gibbon. 
 
  2.  To  renounce;  to  relinquish;  --  said  of  authority,  a  trust, 
  duty,  right  etc 
 
  He  abdicates  all  right  to  be  his  own  governor. 
  --Burke. 
 
  The  understanding  abdicates  its  functions.  --Froude. 
 
  3.  To  reject;  to  cast  off  [Obs.]  --Bp.  Hall. 
 
  4.  (Civil  Law)  To  disclaim  and  expel  from  the  family,  as  a 
  father  his  child;  to  disown;  to  disinherit. 
 
  Syn:  To  give  up  quit  vacate;  relinquish;  forsake;  abandon; 
  resign;  renounce;  desert. 
 
  Usage:  To  {Abdicate},  {Resign}.  Abdicate  commonly  expresses 
  the  act  of  a  monarch  in  voluntary  and  formally 
  yielding  up  sovereign  authority;  as  to  abdicate  the 
  government.  Resign  is  applied  to  the  act  of  any 
  person,  high  or  low  who  gives  back  an  office  or  trust 
  into  the  hands  of  him  who  conferred  it  Thus  a 
  minister  resigns,  a  military  officer  resigns,  a  clerk 
  resigns.  The  expression,  ``The  king  resigned  his 
  crown,''  sometimes  occurs  in  our  later  literature, 
  implying  that  he  held  it  from  his  people.  --  There  are 
  other  senses  of  resign  which  are  not  here  brought  into 
  view. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Abdicate  \Ab"di*cate\,  v.  i. 
  To  relinquish  or  renounce  a  throne,  or  other  high  office  or 
  dignity. 
 
  Though  a  king  may  abdicate  for  his  own  person,  he 
  cannot  abdicate  for  the  monarchy.  --Burke. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  abdicate 
  v  :  give  up  such  as  power,  as  of  monarchs  and  emperors,  or 
  duties  and  obligations;  "The  King  abdicated  when  he 
  married  a  divorcee"  [syn:  {renounce}] 




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