A Dictionary of the English Language/abate

by Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)

To Aba′te. v. a. [from the French abbatre, to beat down.]

1.

To lessen, to diminish.

Who can tell whether the divine wisdom, to abate the glory of those kings, did not reserve this work to be done by a queen, that it might appear to be his own immediate work?Sir John Davies on Ireland.

If you did know to whom I gave the ring,
And how unwillingly I left the ring,
You would abate the strength of your displeasure.Shakespeare.

Here we see the hopes of great benefit and light from expositors and commentators, are in a great part abated; and those who have most need of their help, can receive but little from them.Locke's Essay on St. Paul's Epistles.

2.

To deject, or depress the mind.

This iron world
Brings down the stouted hearts to lowest state:
For misery doth bravest minds abate.Spens. Hubberd's Tale.

Have the power still
To banish your defenders, till at length
Your ignorance deliver you,
As most abated captives to some nation
That won you without blows!Shakespeare's Coriolanus.

Time, that changes all, yet changes us in vain,
The body, not the mind; nor can controul
Th' immortal vigour, or abate the soul.Dryd. Æneid.

3.

In commerce, to let down the price in selling, sometimes to beat down the price in buying.

To Aba′te. v. n.

1.

To grow less; as, his passion abates; the storm abates. It is used sometimes with the particle of before the thing lessened.

Our physicians have observed, that in process of time, some diseases have abated of their virulence, and have, in a manner, worn out their malignity, so as to be no longer mortal.Dryden's Hind and Panther.

2.

[In common law.]

It is in law used both actively and neuterly; as, to abate a castle, to beat it down. To abate a writ, is, by some exception, to defeat or overthrow it. A stranger abateth, that is, entereth upon a house or land void by the death of him that last, possessed it, before the heir take his possession, and so keepeth him out. Wherefore, as he that putteth out him in possession, is said to disseise: so he that steppeth in between the former possessor and his heir is said to abate. In the neuter signification thus: The writ of the demandment shall abate, that is, shall be disabled, frustrated, or overthrown. The appeal abateth by covin, that is, that the accusation is defeated by deceit.Cowel.

3.

[In horsemanship.] A horse is said to abate or take down his curvets; when working upon curvets, he puts his two hind legs to the ground both at once, and observes the same exactness in all the times. Dict.