English Dictionary | Video | Thesaurus | School | Translator | Grammar | Scrabble | Blog
Sign Up | Log In
 
English
Menu
English Dictionary Video Thesaurus School Translator Grammar Scrabble Blog Sign Up Log In

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. [VERB noun]
The road is strewn with abandoned vehicles. [VERB-ed]
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. [VERB noun]
The scheme's investors, fearful of bankruptcy, decided to abandon the project. [VERB noun]
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. [VERB noun]
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. [V pron-refl to n]
5. uncountable noun [usu with N]
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
7. 
abandon ship
More Synonyms of abandon
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

Video: pronunciation of 'abandon'

Word Frequency

abandon in British

(əˈbændən )
verb (transitive)
1. 
to forsake completely; desert; leave behind
to abandon a baby
drivers had to abandon their cars
2.  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
8. 
freedom from inhibitions, restraint, concern, or worry
she danced with abandon
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
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

(əˈbændən ; əbanˈdən)
verb transitive
1. 
to give up (something) completely or forever
to abandon all hope
2. 
to leave, as in danger or out of necessity; forsake; desert
3. 
to yield (oneself) completely, as to a feeling, desire, etc.
noun
4. 
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
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
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.
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

Example sentences containing 'abandon'

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…
Cars were abandoned and people had to feel their way home along railings. Times, Sunday Times (2016)Other promises include abandoning " plans to store email and internet records without good cause". Computing (2010)She lost her funding and thought about abandoning her international hopes. Times, Sunday Times (2016)His wild abandon has been infectious. Times, Sunday Times (2016)You don't have a family to just abandon them and leave them. Times, Sunday Times (2016)I spent about 30 seconds trying to feel distressed but abandoned the attempt. Times, Sunday Times (2016)They abandoned their trapped ships and set out in April 1848 but none made it. Times, Sunday Times (2016)A British father has abandoned his attempt to become the first person to swim the Atlantic. Times, Sunday Times (2016)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)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)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)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'

Very Common. abandon is one of the 4000 most commonly used words in the Collins dictionary

View usage for:

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.
  • American English: abandon
  • Arabic: يَهْجُرُ
  • Brazilian Portuguese: abandonar
  • Chinese: 放弃
  • Croatian: napustiti
  • Czech: zanechat
  • 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
  • European Portuguese: abandonar
  • Romanian: a abandona
  • Russian: оставлять
  • Spanish: abandonar
  • Swedish: överge
  • Thai: ละทิ้ง
  • Turkish: terk etmek
  • Ukrainian: залишати
  • 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.
  • American English: abandon
  • Brazilian Portuguese: despreocupação
  • Chinese: 放纵
  • European Spanish: abandono
  • French: abandon
  • German: Ungezwungenheit
  • Italian: abbandono
  • Japanese: 気まま
  • Korean: 방종
  • European Portuguese: despreocupação
  • Spanish: abandono

Translate your text for free

Nearby words of 'abandon'

  • abalone shell
  • abampere
  • aband
  • abandon
  • abandon ship
  • abandoned
  • abandonedly

  • All ENGLISH words that begin with 'A'

Related Terms of 'abandon'

  • abandon ship

Source

Definition of abandon from the Collins English Dictionary

The present continuous tense

Typical forms of this tense are as in: I am winning. He is winning. Am I winning? Is she winning? I am not winning. He is not winning. Aren’t I winning? Isn’t she winning? Am I not winni...
Read more about 'The present continuous tense'
Word of the day:
rogallo
a flexible fabric delta wing, originally designed as a possible satellite retrieval vehicle but actually developed in the 1960s as the first successful hang-glider
See full definition
Feb 23, 2019
New collocations added to dictionary
Collocations are words that are often used together and are brilliant at providing natural sounding language for your speech and writing.
Read more
Unlock language with the Paul Noble method
No books. No rote memorization. No chance of failure. Your chance to have a one-to-one lesson with best-selling language expert Paul Noble, try a FREE audio sample of his brand new Mandarin Chinese course.
Read more
Collins Dictionaries for Schools
Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. And best of all it's ad free, so sign up now and start using at home or in the classroom.
Read more
Word lists
We have almost 200 lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots! Amaze your friends with your new-found knowledge!
Read more
13th edition of the Collins Dictionary out now!
Updated with all the very latest new words and senses, this new 13th edition is an unparalleled resource for word lovers, word gamers, and word geeks everywhere. #homeoflivingenglish
Read more
Join the Collins community
All the latest wordy news, linguistic insights, offers and competitions every month.
Read more
Scrabble score for 'abandon': 10
Latest Word Submissions
POC [meaning] Feb 22, 2019
hyperandrogenism Feb 18, 2019
snack [sense] Feb 18, 2019
hawaji Feb 18, 2019
multipen Feb 18, 2019
Submit View More
Create an account and sign in to access this FREE content
Register now or login in to access
Browse the English Dictionary
  • #
  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
  • L
  • M
  • N
  • O
  • P
  • Q
  • R
  • S
  • T
  • U
  • V
  • W
  • X
  • Y
  • Z
View all dictionaries...
  • View more
  • API
  • B2B Partnerships
  • Advertising
  • Word Banks
  • Collins COBUILD
  • Collins ELT
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Contact us
  • Languages
  • English
  • Video
  • Thesaurus
  • Grammar
  • French
  • German
  • Spanish
  • Italian
  • Chinese
  • Portuguese
  • Hindi
  • Word of the Year
  • Scrabble
  • The Paul Noble Method
  • Resources
  • School
  • This page in
  • English
  • American
  • Italiano
  • Deutsch
  • Español
  • Português
  • हिंदी
  • 简体中文
© Collins 2019