̷ ̷ˈ ̷ ̷dənmənt noun
( -s )
Etymology: French abandonnement, from abandonner to abandon (from Old French abandoner ) + -ment — more at abandon
1.
a. : the act of abandoning : relinquishment , renunciation
such freedom meant the abandonment of many long-cherished phrases — I.M.Price
b.
(1) : desertion of a spouse with the intention of creating a permanent separation
(2) : desertion of a child by its parents
c.
(1) : such relinquishment by an inventor of his right to secure a patent as will constitute a dedication of the invention to public use
(2) : an author's relinquishment to the public domain of his copyright
d. : relinquishment by a nonuser for a specified period (as of an easement)
e. : the act of the insured in surrendering all rights to damaged or lost property to the insurer as a total loss
f. : refusal to accept from a delivering carrier a shipment so damaged in transit as to be worthless
g. : permission sought by or granted to a carrier by a state or federal agency to cease operation of all or part of a route or service
2. : the quality or state of being abandoned : freedom from restraint : self-surrender
in a spirit of utter abandonment he carols his simple strain — John Burroughs