Library / English Dictionary

ABANDON

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The trait of lacking restraint or control; reckless freedom from inhibition or worry

Example:

she danced with abandon

Synonyms:

abandon; unconstraint; wantonness

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("abandon" is a kind of...):

unrestraint (the quality of lacking restraint)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A feeling of extreme emotional intensity

Example:

the wildness of his anger

Synonyms:

abandon; wildness

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Hypernyms ("abandon" is a kind of...):

passion; passionateness (a strong feeling or emotion)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Stop maintaining or insisting on; of ideas or claims

Example:

Both sides have to give up some claims in these negotiations

Synonyms:

abandon; give up

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Verb group:

ease up; give; give way; move over; yield (move in order to make room for someone for something)

break; cave in; collapse; fall in; founder; give; give way (break down, literally or metaphorically)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "abandon"):

sell out (abandon one's principles for expedience or financial gain)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

abandonment (the act of giving something up)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch

Example:

The mother deserted her children

Synonyms:

abandon; desert; desolate; forsake

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "abandon" is one way to...):

leave (go and leave behind, either intentionally or by neglect or forgetfulness)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "abandon"):

expose (abandon by leaving out in the open air)

walk out (leave suddenly, often as an expression of disapproval)

ditch (forsake)

maroon; strand (leave stranded or isolated with little hope of rescue)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

abandonment (withdrawing support or help despite allegiance or responsibility)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Leave behind empty; move out of

Example:

You must vacate your office by tonight

Synonyms:

abandon; empty; vacate

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "abandon" is one way to...):

go away; go forth; leave (go away from a place)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Give up with the intent of never claiming again

Example:

We gave the drowning victim up for dead

Synonyms:

abandon; give up

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "abandon"):

foreswear; quit; relinquish; renounce (turn away from; give up)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

abandonment (the act of giving something up)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Forsake, leave behind

Example:

We abandoned the old car in the empty parking lot

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "abandon" is one way to...):

cast aside; cast away; cast out; chuck out; discard; dispose; fling; put away; throw away; throw out; toss; toss away; toss out (throw or cast away)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "abandon"):

chuck; ditch (throw away)

dispense with (forgo or do or go without)

forego; forfeit; forgo; give up; throw overboard; waive (lose (s.th.) or lose the right to (s.th.) by some error, offense, or crime)

consign (commit forever; commit irrevocably)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

abandonment (the voluntary surrender of property (or a right to property) without attempting to reclaim it or give it away)

Credits

 Context examples: 

During the 9th century however, there was a major political collapse in the central Maya region: their famous limestone cities were abandoned and dynasties ended.

(Scientists measure severity of drought during the Maya collapse, University of Cambridge)

And now, my poor Watson, here we are, stranded and friendless in this inhospitable town, which we cannot leave without abandoning our case.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Inspector Baynes, considering that such a visit must have some purpose in view and was likely, therefore, to be repeated, abandoned the house but left an ambuscade in the shrubbery.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Now I wept: Helen Burns was not here; nothing sustained me; left to myself I abandoned myself, and my tears watered the boards.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

You must acquire the bow for a man, with its necessary touch of dignity, and that for a lady, which cannot be too humble, and should still contain the least suspicion of abandon.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

This brought me to a full stop, and if fortune had not again particularly favoured me, I should have had to abandon my design.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

The boyish abandon of that stout man was charming to behold, for though he 'carried weight', he danced like an India-rubber ball.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

My generous friend reassured the suppliant, and on being informed of the name of her lover, instantly abandoned his pursuit.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

He found it expedient to be cautious all the time, except for the rare moments, when, assured of his own intrepidity, he abandoned himself to petty rages and lusts.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

After that we abandoned all attempt at communication.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)