I. əˈbandən, -aand- transitive verb
( abandoned ; abandoned ; abandoning -andəniŋ, rapid sometimes -anniŋ ; abandons )
Etymology: Middle English abandounen, from Middle French abandoner, from abandon, n., surrender, abandonment, from a bandon in one's power, at one's discretion (in the phrase metre a bandon to put under someone's jurisdiction or at one's mercy), from a at, to (from Latin ad to) + banon, bandon power, authority, discretion, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German ban command, prohibition, authority — more at at , ban
1. : to cease to assert or exercise an interest, right, or title to especially with the intent of never again resuming or reasserting it : yield , relinquish
abandoned the estates when he inherited them — Charles Dickens
2. : to give up (as a position, a ship) by leaving, withdrawing, ceasing to inhabit, to keep, or to operate often because unable to withstand threatening dangers or encroachments
the site was abandoned after one year because of the number of rattlesnakes — American Guide Series: California
specifically : to bail out of (an aircraft about to crash)
3. : to forsake or desert especially in spite of an allegiance, duty, or responsibility
endure the ignominy of his abandoning her — D.H.Lawrence
: withdraw one's protection, support, or help from
a faithful member of the Democratic party, abandoning it only once — W.W.Pierson
4. obsolete : to drive or cast out : banish , expel , reject
being all this time abandoned from your bed — Shakespeare
5. : to give (oneself) over to or yield (oneself) to without check, restraint, or control
the girl abandoned herself without restraint to a delicious wave of voluptuous contentment — J.C.Powys
6. : to turn away from, give over, or permit to cease or lapse: as
a. : to desist from maintaining, adhering to, or following
aristocratic families abandoned paganism for Christianity — Will Durant
b. : to desist from practicing, doing, using
they abandoned their native speech and adopted the French tongue — T.B.Macaulay
c. : to turn from or relinquish (some course or action)
he abandoned the project with a sigh — Rudyard Kipling
7. : to surrender to the insurer the insured's interest in (insured property) and to claim payment for a total loss sometimes permitted only when damage constitutes constructive total loss
Synonyms: see relinquish
II. “, F ȧbäⁿdōⁿ noun
( plural abandons -ənz, -ōⁿ(z))
Etymology: French, from Old French
: a yielding to natural impulses : freedom from constraint
with childish abandon she gave herself over to grief — Sherwood Anderson
: carefree ease or freedom often with disregard for consequences : enthusiasm , exuberance
smashed public property and burned private houses with an ever more ardent abandon — Rose Macaulay