I. a ‧ ban ‧ don 1 W3 AC /əˈbændən/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Word Family: verb : ↑ abandon ; noun : ↑ abandonment ; adjective : ↑ abandoned ]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: abondoner , from abandon 'surrendering' , from a bandon 'into someone's power' ]
1 . to leave someone, especially someone you are responsible for ⇨ abandoned :
How could she abandon her own child?
2 . to go away from a place, vehicle etc permanently, especially because the situation makes it impossible for you to stay SYN leave ⇨ abandoned :
We had to abandon the car and walk the rest of the way.
Fearing further attacks, most of the population had abandoned the city.
3 . to stop doing something because there are too many problems and it is impossible to continue:
The game had to be abandoned due to bad weather.
They abandoned their attempt to recapture the castle.
Because of the fog they abandoned their idea of driving.
4 . to stop having a particular idea, belief, or attitude:
They were accused of abandoning their socialist principles.
Rescuers had abandoned all hope of finding any more survivors.
5 . abandon yourself to something literary to feel an emotion so strongly that you let it control you completely:
She abandoned herself to grief.
6 . abandon ship to leave a ship because it is sinking
—abandonment noun [uncountable]
II. abandon 2 BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
if someone does something with abandon, they behave in a careless or uncontrolled way, without thinking or caring about what they are doing
with reckless/wild abandon
They drank and smoked with reckless abandon.