a ‧ bort /əˈbɔːt $ -ɔːrt/ BrE AmE verb
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: abortare , from abortus , past participle of aboriri 'to give birth to a dead baby' , from ab- 'away' + oriri 'to rise, be born' ]
1 . [transitive] to stop an activity because it would be difficult or dangerous to continue it:
The rescue mission had to be aborted.
2 . [transitive] to deliberately end a ↑ pregnancy when the baby is still too young to live
3 . [intransitive] if a ↑ pregnant woman or animal aborts, the baby is born too early and is dead when it is born SYN miscarry :
The disease causes pregnant animals to abort.