[a. OFr. abat-re, abat-tre, f. à prep. to + batre, battre to beat:—late L. battĕre, batĕre, from cl. L. batuĕre. In the technical senses 18, 19, the identity of the prefix is uncertain, and the relation to the other senses undetermined.]
I. To beat down, demolish, destroy.
1. trans. To beat down, throw down, demolish, level with the ground. Obs. exc. in Law.
1366. Maundev., viii. 95 (1839). Jerusalem hath often tyme ben distroyed, & the Walles abated & beten doun.
c. 1420. Palladius on Husb., II. 5. Hem to desolate Of erthe, and all from every roote abate.
1494. Fabyan, vii. 490. Ye gates of Bruges, of Ipre, of Courtray, and of other townes were abated and throwyn downe.
1576. Lambarde, Peramb. Kent, 185 (1826). Bycause Apultre was not of sufficient strength for their defence and coverture they abated it to the ground.
1643. Prynne, Doom of Cowardice & Treach., 4. And that night came a great party of them, and by fine force made an assault and abated the Baracadoes.
1664. Evelyn, Kal. Hort., 13 (1729). During the hottest months carefully abate the weeds.
1809. Tomlins, Law Dict., s.v., To abate; to prostrate, break down, or destroy. In law to abate a castle or fort is to beat it down.
1864. Wandsw. Br. Act, 44. If any work made by the Company in, over, or across the River Thames … be abandoned or suffered to fall into disuse or decay, the Conservators of the River Thames may abate and remove the same.
† 2. fig. To put down, put an end to, do away with (any state or condition of things). Obs.
c. 1270. E. E. Poems, Old Age, 149. When eld blowid he is blode . his ble is sone abatid.
1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 1672. Ded [= death], of al þat it comes to, abates And chaunges all myghtes and states.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 1141. To abate þe host of þat breme duke.
1413. Lydgate, Pylg. Sowle, V. xii. 103 (1843). And fynally abatid is the strif.
1585. Abp. Sandys, Serm., 79 (1841). St. Paul abateth this opinion. Ibid., 293. To abate the haughty conceit which naturally we have of ourselves.
3. Esp. Law. a. To put an end to, do away with (as a nuisance, or an action).
1297. R. Glouc., 447. And oþer monye luþer lawes, þat hys elderne adde ywroȝt, He behet, þat he wolde abate.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., III. 168. The primitive sense is that of abating or beating down a nusance.
1780. Burke, Sp. on Econ. Ref., Wks. III. 247. They abate the nuisance, they pull down the house.
1844. H. Rogers, Essays, I. ii. 88. He has not lived in vain who has successfully endeavoured to abate the nuisances of his own time.
1859. De Quincey, The Cæsars, Wks. X. 104. To put him down and abate him as a monster.
b. To render null and void (a writ).
1580. Baret, Alvearie, His accusation or writte is abated or ouerthrowne when the Attorney by ignorance declareth not the processe in due forme, or the writte abateth.
1621. Sanderson, Serm., Ad. Cl. II. xxii. 30 (1674). And any one short Clause or Proviso, not legal, is sufficient to abate the whole Writ or Instrument.
1726. Ayliffe, Parergon, 266. This only suspends but does not abate the action.
1741. T. Robinson, Gavelkind, vi. 109. The Writ was abated by the Court.
1809. Tomlins, Law Dict., s.v., To abate a nuisance is to destroy, remove, or put an end to it…. To abate a writ is to defeat or overthrow it by shewing some error or exception.
4. intr. (through refl.) To be at an end, to become null or void; esp. of writs, actions, appeals.
1602. W. Fulbecke, First Part of Parallele, 62. In the summons A. was omitted, wherefore the writte abated.
1745. De Foe, Eng. Tradesm., I. xvi. 148. Commissions shall not abate by the death of his majesty.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., III. 247. The suit is of no effect, and the writ shall abate.
1809. Tomlins, Law Dict., s.v. It is said an appeal shall abate, and be defeated by reason of covin or deceit.
1860. Massey, Hist. Engl., III. xxxi. 437. The Committee of Privileges resolved, that impeachments stood on the same footing as appeals and writs of error; consequently they did not abate.
II. To bring down, lower, depress.
† 5. To bring down (a person) physically, socially, or mentally; to depress, humble, degrade; to cast down, deject. Obs.
c. 1325. Grosseteste, Castel of Loue, 1334. He was abated of his tour [= in his turn].
c. 1386. Chaucer, Persones T., 118. The heyher that they were in this present lif, the more schuln thay ben abatid and defouled in helle.
1470–85. Malory, Morte Arthur (1634 repr. 1816), I. 241. Then sir Beaumains abated his countenance.
1564. Bauldwin, Moral Phil. (ed. Palfr.), iii. 4. Hee is to be honoured among them that be honoured, that fortune abateth without fault.
1618. Raleigh, Remains (1644), 27. If any great person to be abated, not to deal with him by calumniation or forged matter.
1651. Jer. Taylor, Sermons, I. ix. 104. They were abated with humane infirmities and not at all heightened by the Spirit.
† 6. intr. To fall, be dejected, humbled. Obs.
1306. Political Songs (Camd. S.), 216. Ys continaunce abated eny bost to make.
1387. Trevisa, Higden, Rolls Ser. II. 185. Þe bolde nolle abateþ [cervix deprimitur].
c. 1460. Urbanitatis, in Babees Book (1868), 16. Lette not þy contynaunce also abate.
1642. Rogers, Naaman, 30. The naturall spirit of the hautiest … will abate and come downe.
† 7. To abate of; to bring down (a person) from; hence to deprive of, curtail of. Obs.
c. 1430. Octouian Imperator, 1316 (Weber, III. 212). He was abated of all hys hete.
c. 1530. Ld. Berners, Arthur of Lytell Bryt., 105 (1814). That she be not thereby abbated of her noblenesse and estate.
1605. Shaks., Lear, II. iv. 161. She hath abated me of halfe my Traine.
1637. Lisle, trans. Du Bartas, 30. Mens bodies were abated of their bignesse.
III. To bring down in size, amount, value, force.
† 8. To beat back the edge or point of anything; to turn the edge; to blunt. lit. and fig. Obs.
1548. Hall, Chron., 689. Such wepons as the capitain of the Castle shall occupie, that is, Morrice pike sworde target, the poynt and edge abated.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., V. v. 35. Abate the edge of Traitors, gracious Lord.
1613. W. Browne, Brit. Past., I. iv. (1772), 107. With plaints which might abate a tyrant’s knife.
1625. Bacon, Essays, ix. To abate the edge of envy.
1634. Heywood, Maidenh. lost, xi. 120. The name of Childe Abates my Swords keene edge.
1699. Evelyn, Acetaria, 145 (1729). Such as abate and take off the keeness.
9. To bring down in size; lower, lessen or diminish (things tangible). arch.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De Pr. Rerum (1495), XVII. lxxviii. 652. Gutta abatyth all swellynge and bolnynge.
1611. Bible, Gen. viii. 3. After the end of the hundred and fittie dayes, the waters were abated.
1612. Woodall, Surgeon’s Mate, Wks. (1653), 11. Small Files are used … to abate any end of a bone … which is fractured.
1662. Evelyn, Chalcog. (1769), 59. In wood, which is a graving much more difficult; because all the work is to be abated and cut hollow.
1823. Scott, Peveril (1865), 241. A lucky accident had abated Chiffinch’s party to their own number.
10. intr. To decrease in size or bulk. arch.
1587. Golding, Mornay’s Chr. Relig., xiv. 220 (1617). The more that the body abateth in flesh, the more workfull is the mind.
1597. Warner, Albion’s Eng., III. xviii. 86. Their poyson, growing when it seemeth to abate.
1726. De Foe, Hist. Devil, I. x. 121 (1840). The arke rested, the waters abating.
11. trans. To bring down in value, price, or estimation. arch.
1340. Ayenb., 28. Vor þe guode los to abatye, and hire guodes to loȝy, þe envious agrayþeþ alle his gynnes.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 286. She ne might all abate his prise.
c. 1460. Fortescue, Absol. & Lim. Mon. (1714), 116. Hou the Pricys of Merchaundises, growyn in this Lond, may be holdyn up, and encreasyd, and the Prycys of Merchaundise, brought into this Lond abatyd.
1651. Hobbes, Leviathan, II. xxii. 119. They raise the price of those, and abate the price of these.
1670. R. Coke, Disc. of Trade, 33. If the Importation of Irish Cattel had abated the Rents of England one half.
12. intr. To fall in amount, value, or price, suffer reduction, be reduced. arch. exc. in Law.
1745. De Foe, Eng. Tradesm., II. xxxii. 101. As wages abate to the poor, provisions must abate in the market, and rents must sink and abate to the landlords.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., II. 512. And in case of a deficiency of assets, all the general legacies must abate proportionably, in order to pay the debts.
13. trans. To lessen or lower in force or intensity (a quality, feeling, action, etc.); to diminish, lessen, lighten, relieve, mitigate.
1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 269. His moder Helianore abated þer grete bale.
c. 1340. Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 2840. For na thyng may abate þair pyne.
1574. trans. Marlorats Apocalips, 33. Charitie is lyke fyre, whyche is easyly put oute if it be abated.
1593. T. Hyll, Profitable Arte of Gard., 137. The sauor of them [garlic] wilbe greatly abated.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., II. ii. 24. Abate thy Rage, abate thy manly Rage.
1611. Bible, Deut. xxxiv. 7. His eye was not dimme, nor his naturall force abated.
1670. Walton, Lives, IV. 288. Lord, abate my great affliction, or increase my patience.
1759. Robertson, Hist. Scot., I. II. 156. She shook the fidelity, or abated the ardour of some.
1859. Mill, Liberty, ii. ¶ 24. To abate the force of these considerations.
14. intr. To fall off in force or intensity; grow less, calm down.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, XI. 4665. Sesit the wyndis; The bremnes abated.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., IV. iv. 50. My fury shall abate, and I The Crownes will take.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., I. 463 (1721). When Winter’s Rage abates, when chearful Hours Awake the Spring.
1720. De Foe, Capt. Singleton, xvi. 274. Towards morning the wind abated a little.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., I. VI. iii. 322. This conflagration of the South-East will abate.
1869. Echo, Oct., 9. The Foot and Mouth Disease which has been raging with some virulence is now beginning to abate.
IV. To strike off, deduct.
15. trans. To strike off or take away a part, to deduct, subtract.
a. with of (out of, from obs.).
c. 1391. Chaucer, Astrolabe, 34. Abate thanne thees degrees And minutes owt of 90.
1413. Lydgate, Pylgr. Sowle, IV. viii. 62 (1483). He nele noo thynge abaten of the prys.
1551. Recorde, Pathway to Knowl., II. Introd. And if you abate euen portions from things that are equal, those partes that remain shall be equall also.
1570. Dee, Math. Praef., 9. If from 4. ye abate 1. there resteth 3.
1611. Bible, Lev. xxvii. 18. It shall be abated from thy estimation.
1679–88. Secret Service Moneys of Chas. & Jas. II., 126 (Camd. S., 1851). To be abated out of the moneys that are or shall be due to him for work.
1741. Complete Family-Piece, I. ii. 192. Take … 9 eggs, abating 4 whites.
1745. De Foe, Eng. Tradesm., I. xix. 178. Rather than abate a farthing of the price they had asked.
1866. Rogers, Agric. & Prices, I. xx. 506. The merchant abating something of his morning price.
b. with obj. (orig. dative) of the person.
1465. Manners & Househ. Exp., 465. Roberd Thrope lente me l.s. … and herof he moste a bate me [= to me] .xiiij.s.
1647. Sanderson, Sermons, Ad Aul. xv. 1 (1673), 209. He therefore sendeth for his Master’s Debtors forthwith; abateth them of their several Sums, and makes the Books agree.
1671. Flavel, Fount. of Life, iii. 6. When the Payment was making, he will not abate him one Farthing.
1771. Franklin, Autobiog., Wks. 1840, I. 61. She would abate me two shillings a week for the future.
c. absol. To make an abatement.
1530. Palsgr., 420. I alowe or abate upon a reckenyng or accompte made.
1745. De Foe, Eng. Tradesm., I. xix. 179. He cannot abate without underselling the market, or underrating the value of his goods.
1817. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. IV. iv. 134. Lacey offered to abate in his pecuniary demand.
16. fig. To omit, leave out of count; to bar or except.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 547. Abate [a] throw at Novum, and the whole world againe, Cannot pricke out five such.
1700. Law, Council of Trade, 253 (1751). Abating accidents which happen but seldom.
1772. Johnson, in Boswell (1816), II. 149. Abating his brutality, he was a very good master.
1865. Sala, Diary in America, I. 307. Abating the gold and silver plate.
17. To abate of (a thing): to deduct something from, make an abatement from; to lower, or lessen in amount. arch.
1644. Bulwer, Chirologia, 144. It falls short and abates of the perfection of the thing.
1645. Bp. Hall, Remedy of Discontent., 27. Their fading condition justly abates of their value.
1653. Izaak Walton, Compl. Angler, 2. [I shall] either abate of my pace, or mend it, to enjoy such a companion.
1765. Tucker, Lt. of Nat., II. 635. Their own experience and the world they converse with will abate of this excess.
1810. Scott, Lady of Lake, V. iii. 22. The guide abating of his pace Led slowly through the pass’s jaws.
V. Technical.
† 18. Falconry. To beat with the wings, flutter. More commonly aphetized to BATE. Obs.
c. 1430. Bk. of Hawkyng, in Rel. Antiq., I. 297. If that she [the hawk] abate, let her flee, but be war that thou constreyne her not to flee.
1575. Turberville, Booke of Falc., 135. You shall keepe hir alwayes in best plighte and leaste daunger to abate.
† 19. In Horsemanship. ‘A Horse is said to Abate, when working upon Curvets, he puts his two hind Legs to the Ground, both at once, and observes the same Exactness at all Times.’ Bailey, 1721; whence in J. and subseq. Dicts. Obs.
