[f. ABIDE v. + -ANCE. An instance of the Romance vb.-affix -ance:—L. -antia, added to an Eng. vb. in imitation of such words as subsidence, observance, continuance, which are adoptions of actual or possible Fr. words.]
1. Abiding, dwelling, continuance.
1647. Fuller, Holy War, V. xi. 249. The Christians had no longer abidance in the holy hill of Palestine.
1668. Culpeper & Cole, trans. Bartholinus Anat., II. vi. 101. From its abidance there, the blood would not be perfected but become adust.
1755. S. Walker, Sermons, vi. The Days of Man are shrunk into the Abidance of a Moment.
1837. J. H. Newman, Prophetical Office, 102. It considers doubt incompatible with practical abidance in the truth.
1850. Marks, Elfreide of Guldal, etc., 93.
| His oil of life, thou seest, shows that his being | |
| Has an abidance here of many years. |
2. Continuance in a submissive or docile manner by; conformity to.
1875. Helps, Essays, 179. A judicious abidance by rules, and holding to the results of experience, are good.
