Definition of 'abandon'

Word Frequency

abandon (əbændən )

Word forms: 3rd person singular present tense abandons , present participle abandoning , past tense , past participle abandoned

1. verb

If you abandon a place, thing, or person, you leave the place, thing, or person permanently or for a long time, especially when you should not do so.

He claimed that his parents had abandoned him.

The road is strewn with abandoned vehicles.

Synonyms: leave, strand, ditch [slang] , leave behind More Synonyms of abandon

2. verb

If you abandon an activity or piece of work, you stop doing it before it is finished.

The authorities have abandoned any attempt to distribute food.

The scheme's investors, fearful of bankruptcy, decided to abandon the project.

Synonyms: stop, drop, give up, halt More Synonyms of abandon

3. verb

If you abandon an idea or way of thinking, you stop having that idea or thinking in that way.

Logic had prevailed and he had abandoned the idea.

4. verb

If you abandon yourself to an emotion, you think about it a lot and feel it strongly, especially when other people might think you are wrong to do so.

We are scared to abandon ourselves to our feelings in case we seem weak or out of control.

5. uncountable noun

If you say that someone does something with abandon, you mean that they behave in a wild, uncontrolled way and do not think or care about how they should behave.

[disapproval]

He has spent money with gay abandon.

Their permissiveness toward their children reflects the wild abandon of their own lives.

Synonyms: recklessness, dash, wildness, wantonness More Synonyms of abandon

6. See also abandoned

abandon ship

More Synonyms of abandon

Word Frequency

abandon (əˈbændən )

verb (transitive)

to forsake completely; desert; leave behind

to abandon a baby

drivers had to abandon their cars

2. abandon ship

to give up completely

to abandon a habit

to abandon hope

to yield control of or concern in; relinquish

to abandon office

to give up (something begun) before completion

to abandon a job

the game was abandoned

to surrender (oneself) to emotion without restraint

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

freedom from inhibitions, restraint, concern, or worry

she danced with abandon

Derived forms

abandonment (aˈbandonment)

noun

Word origin of '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

Word Frequency

abandon in American English (əˈbændən ; əbanˈdən)

verb transitive

to give up (something) completely or forever

to abandon all hope

to leave, as in danger or out of necessity; forsake; desert

to yield (oneself) completely, as to a feeling, desire, etc.

noun

unrestrained freedom of action or emotion; surrender to one's impulses

to shout in wild abandon

SIMILAR WORDS: reˈlinquish

SYNONYMY NOTE: abandon implies leaving a person or thing, either as a final, necessary measure [to abandon a drought area] or as a complete rejection of one's responsibilities, claims, etc. [she abandoned her child]; desert1 emphasizes leaving in willful violation, as of one's obligation or oath [the soldier deserted his post]; forsake stresses renouncing a person or thing formerly dear to one [to forsake one's friends or ideals]; quit, basically implying to leave or give up, is now commonly used to mean stop [she quit her job]

OPPOSITE: reclaim

Derived forms

abandonment (aˈbandonment)

noun

Word origin of 'abandon'

ME abandonen < OFr abandoner < mettre a bandon, to put under (someone else's) ban, relinquish: see ban1

Word Frequency

abandon in Insurance (əbændən)

Word forms: (present) abandons, (past) abandoned, (perfect) abandoned, (progressive) abandoning

verb

( Insurance : Claims )

If you abandon insured property that has suffered partial loss or damage, you give it to the insurers so that a claim for a total loss may be made.

COLLOCATIONS:

~ a ship

~ a property

~ a vehicle

Under such conditions, the ocean marine policy permits the insured to abandon the damaged ship or cargo to the insurer and make a claim for the entire value.

The insured may claim for a partial loss or abandon the property to the insurance company and claim a total loss.

If you abandon insured property that has suffered partial loss or damage, you give it to the insurers so that a claim for a total loss may be made.

Example sentences containing 'abandon'

Helicopters had to abandon attempts to recover corpses and wreckage yesterday because of high wind and waves.

Times, Sunday Times (2015)

The car was found abandoned four hours after that.

The Sun (2006)

There are two possible explanations as to why this idea was abandoned.

The Sun (2014)

Including those who have been abandoned for too long in the race up the tables.

The Sun (2013)

Before you abandon camp leave signs that you have been there and moved on.

Times, Sunday Times (2009)

For at the moment it is easier to abandon a baby than it is a dog.

Times, Sunday Times (2006)

He did not abandon his business completely.

Times, Sunday Times (2006)

It abandoned a plan to float earlier this year.

Times, Sunday Times (2008)

Beautiful people in wild abandon was compelling stuff.

Times, Sunday Times (2012)

The ship took such a battering it had to be abandoned.

Christianity Today (2000)

To do so means abandoning our way back.

Times, Sunday Times (2014)

The abandoned cars underscore a worrying trend.

Times, Sunday Times (2009)

Then he got a job with a recruitment company and the portrait idea was abandoned.

Times, Sunday Times (2009)

He offers payoff after payoff to gags that we thought were long abandoned.

Times, Sunday Times (2013)

And could the abandoned baby be linked to the affair?

The Sun (2006)

Having things repaired seems to have become completely abandoned.

Times, Sunday Times (2009)

Her crew made it to shore after abandoning ship.

The Sun (2006)

The last thing wildlife needs is for us to abandon hope.

Times, Sunday Times (2016)

She had not meant to abandon her children.

The Times Literary Supplement (2011)

It is not so much what we select, more what we leave abandoned.

Times, Sunday Times (2006)

If you do lapse, it does not mean you have to abandon your attempts at trying to change.

Pete Cohen and Sten Cummins with Jennai Cox HABIT BUSTING: A 10-step plan that will change your life (2002)

Four days ago he abandoned plans to impose 15.5 per cent tax on interest on savings accounts and life insurance.

Times, Sunday Times (2013)

The extent of real choice may vary from place to place, yet an attempt to abandon the notion would be extremely unpopular.

Times, Sunday Times (2006)

It has it all - texture, wild abandon and warmth.

Times, Sunday Times (2010)

Trends of 'abandon'

Translations for 'abandon'

British English: abandon /əˈbændən/ VERB
If you abandon a thing, place, or person, you leave them permanently or for a long time.His parents had abandoned him.

Arabic: يَهْجُرُ
Brazilian Portuguese: abandonar
Chinese: 放弃
Croatian: napustiti
Czech: zanechat zanechávat
Danish: opgive
Dutch: in de steek laten
European Spanish: abandonar
Finnish: hylätä
French: abandonner
German: verlassen
Greek: εγκαταλείπω
Italian: abbandonare
Japanese: 見捨てる
Korean: 포기하다
Norwegian: forlate
Polish: porzucić porzucać
Portuguese: abandonar
Romanian: a abandona
Russian: оставлять
Spanish: abandonar
Swedish: överge
Thai: ละทิ้ง
Turkish: terk etmek
Ukrainian: залишати залишити
Vietnamese: từ bỏ

British English: abandon NOUN
with abandon If you say that someone does something with abandon, you mean that they behave in a wild, uncontrolled way and do not think or care about how they should behave.He has spent money with gay abandon.

Brazilian Portuguese: despreocupação
Chinese: 放纵
European Spanish: abandono
French: abandon
German: Ungezwungenheit
Italian: abbandono
Japanese: 気まま
Korean: 방종
Portuguese: despreocupação
Spanish: abandono

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Source

Definition of abandon from the Collins English Dictionary

Comments

Comment by ALRifai on 7 Aug 2016

abandon (abandons, abandoning, abandoned) v. 1. turn away from; give up; do without or cease to hold or adhere to; part with a possession or right; release, as from one's grip. 2. to give up an idea or a right; to stop having or doing something. 3. voluntarily cease to keep or claim; give up. 4. lacking restraint or control; feeling of extreme emotional intensity; unbounded enthusiasm; leave without planning to come back. 5. to leave somebody or something that you are responsible for, usually permanently; renounce, give up, desert, vacate, quit, relinquish, indulge in, empty. إبْتَعَد؛ أحْجَم عن؛ إطّرَح؛ إعْتَزَل؛ أعْرَض عن؛ أَقْطَعَ عَنْ؛ أقْلَع عن؛ اِنْثَنَى عَنْ؛ اِنْحَرَفَ عَنْ؛ اِنْصَرَفَ عَنْ؛ إنْفَصَل عن؛ أنْهَى؛ أهْمَل؛ بايَن؛ تَحَوَّلَ عَنْ؛ تَخَلّى عن؛ تَرَك؛ تَنَازَل عن؛ تَنَحّى عن؛ جَفَا؛ خَذَل؛ سَيّب؛ صَدّ عن؛ ضِدّ أنَس؛ ضَيّع؛ طَوَى؛ طَوَى صَفْحَتَه؛ عاد عن؛ عَدَل عن؛ عَدّى عن؛ غَضَر عن؛ فارَق؛ فَرّط في؛ قَصّر؛ كَفّ عن؛ مال عن؛ نَبَذ؛ هَجَر

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Comment by ALRifai on 7 Aug 2016

abandon n. (əˈbændən). the trait of lacking restraint or control; reckless freedom from inhibition or worry; a feeling of extreme emotional intensity; uninhibitedness, wildness, unconstraint. هجر؛ تنازل؛ تخلي عن؛ ترك؛ استرسال؛ إِطْلاقُ العِنَان؛ امتلاء بالحيوية او المرح؛ انغماس فى الملذات حماسة؛ تَحَرُّرٌ منَ التَّكَلُّف

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