- OF. abatre to beat down, F. abattre, LL. abatere; ab or ad + baterebatterepopular form for L. batuere to beat). Cf. BateBatter
- To beat down; to overthrow.ObsThe King of Scots . . . sore abated the walls.
- To bring down or reduce from a higher to a lower state, number, or degree; to lessen; to diminish; to contract; to moderate; to cut short; as, to abate a demand; to abate pride, zeal, hope.His eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.
- To deduct; to omit; as, to abate something from a price.Nine thousand parishes, abating the odd hundreds.
- To blunt.ObsTo abate the edge of envy.
- To reduce in estimation; to deprive.ObsShe hath abated me of half my train.
- LawTo bring entirely down or put an end to; to do away with; as, to abate a nuisance, to abate a writ.Eng. LawTo diminish; to reduce. Legacies are liable to be abated entirely or in proportion, upon a deficiency of assets.
