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| a·bate [ ə báyt ] (past and past participle a·bat·ed, present participle a·bat·ing, 3rd person present singular a·bates) |
verb |
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1. transitive and intransitive verb become less: to lessen or make something lessen gradually
(
formal or literary
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2. transitive and intransitive verb law end: to suppress or end a nuisance, act, or writ, or be suppressed or ended
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3. transitive verb finance reduce something: to lower the amount or rate of something such as a tax
(
formal
)
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| [13th century. < Old French abatre "beat down" < Latin batt(u)ere "fight, beat"] |
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 a·bate·ment noun |
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