English Dictionary

Definition of “abandon”

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abandon (əˈbændənPronunciation for abandon) 

Definitions

verb (tr)

  1. to forsake completely; desert; leave behind  ⇒ to abandon a baby drivers had to abandon their cars 
  2. See abandon ship
  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

noun

  1. freedom from inhibitions, restraint, concern, or worry  ⇒ she danced with abandon 

Alternative Forms

aˈbandonment noun

Word Origin

C14: abandounen  (vb), from Old French, from a bandon  under one's control, in one's power, from a  at, to + bandon control, power

Synonyms

View thesaurus entry
= leave, strand, ditch, leave behind, walk out on, forsake, jilt, run out on, throw over, turn your back on desert, dump, leave high and dry leave in the lurch let someone stew in their own juice
= stop, drop, give up, halt, cease, cut out, pack in, discontinue, leave off, desist from
= give up, resign from yield, surrender, relinquish, renounce, waive, cede, forgo, abdicate,
= recklessness, dash, wildness, wantonness, wild impulse unrestraint careless freedom
= indulge in give way to, yield to wallow in give free rein to lose yourself in give yourself up to

Translations

  • British English: abandon Pronunciation for abandon If you abandon a thing, place, or person, you leave them permanently or for a long time.His parents had abandoned him.əˈbændən VERB His parents had abandoned him.
  • Spanish: abandonar Pronunciation for abandonar v
  • French: abandonner Pronunciation for abandonner vt
  • German: verlassen Pronunciation for verlassen v
  • Chinese: 放弃Pronunciation for 放弃 v
  • Arabic: يَهْجُرُPronunciation for يَهْجُرُ v
  • Portuguese: abandonarPronunciation for abandonar v
  • Russian: оставлятьPronunciation for оставлять v
  • Croatian: napustitiPronunciation for napustiti v
  • Czech: zanechatPronunciation for zanechat v zanechávat
  • Danish: opgivePronunciation for opgive v
  • Dutch: in de steek latenPronunciation for in de steek laten v
  • Finnish: hylätäPronunciation for hylätä v
  • Greek: εγκαταλείπωPronunciation for εγκαταλείπω v
  • Italian: abbandonarePronunciation for abbandonare v
  • Japanese: 見捨てるPronunciation for 見捨てる v
  • Korean: 포기하다Pronunciation for 포기하다 v
  • Norwegian: forlatePronunciation for forlate v
  • Polish: porzucićPronunciation for porzucić v porzucać
  • Brazilian Portuguese: abandonarPronunciation for abandonar v
  • European Spanish: abandonar Pronunciation for abandonar v
  • Swedish: övergePronunciation for överge v
  • Thai: ละทิ้งPronunciation for ละทิ้ง v
  • Turkish: terketmekPronunciation for terketmek v
  • Vietnamese: từ bỏPronunciation for từ bỏ v

Usage examples

  • On the padded floor, McGregor was struggling with terrifying abandon.
    Kippax, Frank, The Scar (1990)
  • But company after company has worked on substitutes only to abandon their efforts because of safety concerns.
    New Scientist (2004)
  • As the evidence emerged The Hutch became the first hospital to abandon the trials.
    Irish Times (2002)
  • The split and his cancer forced him to abandon his challenge against Hillary Clinton in New York's senate race.
    Glasgow Herald (2001)
  • They were unsure of the structural condition of the yacht and whether or not they should abandon ship.
    Rob Mundle, FATAL STORM (2001)

Commonness

All English words that begin with 'A'

Related Terms

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