abandon 1
— abandonable , adj. — abandoner , n. — abandonment , n.
/euh ban"deuhn/ , v.t.
1. to leave completely and finally; forsake utterly; desert: to abandon one's farm; to abandon a child; to abandon a sinking ship.
2. to give up; discontinue; withdraw from: to abandon a research project; to abandon hopes for a stage career.
3. to give up the control of: to abandon a city to an enemy army.
4. to yield (oneself) without restraint or moderation; give (oneself) over to natural impulses, usually without self-control: to abandon oneself to grief.
5. Law. to cast away, leave, or desert, as property or a child.
6. Insurance. to relinquish (insured property) to the underwriter in case of partial loss, thus enabling the insured to claim a total loss.
7. Obs. to banish.
[ 1325-75; ME abando ( u ) nen abandoner for OF ( mettre ) a bandon (put) under (someone's) jurisdiction, equiv. to a at, to ( ad; see AD-) + bandon band; see BOND 1 ]
Syn. 1. See desert 2 . 2. ABANDON, RELINQUISH, RENOUNCE mean to give up all concern in something. ABANDON means to give up or discontinue any further interest in something because of discouragement, weariness, distaste, or the like: to abandon one's efforts. RELINQUISH implies being or feeling compelled to give up something one would prefer to keep: to relinquish a long-cherished desire. RENOUNCE implies making (and perhaps formally stating) a voluntary decision to give something up: to renounce worldly pleasures. 3. yield, surrender, resign, waive, abdicate.
Ant. 1. keep. 2. continue; begin, start. 3. retain.
abandon 2
/euh ban"deuhn/ , n.
a complete surrender to natural impulses without restraint or moderation; freedom from inhibition or conventionality: to dance with reckless abandon.
[ 1815-25; abandonner to ABANDON 1 ]
Ant . restraint, constraint.