||A*ban"dum (*bn"dm), n. [LL. See Abandon.] (Law) Anything forfeited or confiscated.
Ab"a*net (b"*nt), n. See Abnet.
||A*ban"ga (*b"g), n. [Name given by the negroes in the island of St. Thomas.] A West Indian palm; also the fruit of this palm, the seeds of which are used as a remedy for diseases of the chest.
{ Ab`an*na"tion (b`n*n"shn), Ab`an*nition (b`n*nsh"n), } n. [LL. abannatio; ad + LL. bannire to banish.] (Old Law) Banishment. [Obs.] Bailey.
Ab`ar*tic`u*la"tion (acr/b`är*tk`*l"shn), n. [L. ab + E. articulation : cf. F. abarticulation. See Article.] (Anat.) Articulation, usually that kind of articulation which admits of free motion in the joint; diarthrosis. Coxe.
A*base" (*bs"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abased (*bst"); p. pr. & vb. n. Abasing.] [F. abaisser, LL. abassare, abbassare ; ad + bassare, fr. bassus low. See Base, a.] 1. To lower or depress; to throw or cast down; as, to abase the eye. [Archaic] Bacon.
Saying so, he abased his lance.
Shelton.
2. To cast down or reduce low or lower, as in rank, office, condition in life, or estimation of worthiness; to depress; to humble; to degrade.
Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased.
Luke xiv. ll.
Syn. -- To Abase, Debase, Degrade. These words agree in the idea of bringing down from a higher to a lower state. Abase has reference to a bringing down in condition or feelings; as, to abase the proud, to abase one's self before God. Debase has reference to the bringing down of a thing in purity, or making it base. It is, therefore, always used in a bad sense, as, to debase the coin of the kingdom, to debase the mind by vicious indulgence, to debase one's style by coarse or vulgar expressions. Degrade has reference to a bringing down from some higher grade or from some standard. Thus, a priest is degraded from the clerical office. When used in a moral sense, it denotes a bringing down in character and just estimation; as, degraded by intemperance, a degrading employment, etc. "Art is degraded when it is regarded only as a trade."
A*based" (*bst"), a. 1. Lowered; humbled.
2. (Her.) [F. abaissé.] Borne lower than usual, as a fess; also, having the ends of the wings turned downward towards the point of the shield.
A*bas"ed*ly (*bs"d*l), adv. Abjectly; downcastly.
A*base"ment (*bs"ment), n. [Cf. F. abaissement.] The act of abasing, humbling, or bringing low; the state of being abased or humbled; humiliation.
A*bas"er (*bs"r), n. He who, or that which, abases.
A*bash" (*bsh"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abashed (*bsht"); p. pr. & vb. n. Abashing.] [OE. abaissen, abaisshen, abashen, OF. esbahir, F. ébahir, to astonish, fr. L. ex + the interjection bah, expressing astonishment. In OE. somewhat confused with abase. Cf. Finish.] To destroy the self-possession of; to confuse or confound, as by exciting suddenly a consciousness of guilt, mistake, or inferiority; to put to shame; to disconcert; to discomfit.
Abashed, the devil stood,
And felt how awful goodness is.
Milton.
He was a man whom no check could abash.
Macaulay.
Syn. -- To confuse; confound; disconcert; shame. -- To Abash, Confuse, Confound. Abash is a stronger word than confuse, but not so strong as confound. We are abashed when struck either with sudden shame or with a humbling sense of inferiority; as, Peter was abashed by the look of his Master. So a modest youth is abashed in the presence of those who are greatly his superiors. We are confused when, from some unexpected or startling occurrence, we lose clearness of thought and self- possession. Thus, a witness is often confused by a severe cross- examination; a timid person is apt to be confused in entering a room full of strangers. We are confounded when our minds are overwhelmed, as it were, by something wholly unexpected, amazing, dreadful, etc., so that we have nothing to say. Thus, a criminal is usually confounded at the discovery of his guilt.
Satan stood
Awhile as mute, confounded what to say.
Milton.
A*bash"ed*ly (-d*l), adv. In an abashed manner.
A*bash"ment (-ment), n. [Cf. F. ébahissement.] The state of being abashed; confusion from shame.
{ ||A*bas"si (*bs"s), ||A*bas"sis (*bs"ss), } n. [Ar. & Per. abs, belonging to Abas (a king of Persia).] A silver coin of Persia, worth about twenty cents.
A*bat"a*ble (*bt"*b'l), a. Capable of being abated; as, an abatable writ or nuisance.
A*bate" (*bt"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abated, p. pr. & vb. n. Abating.] [OF. abatre to beat down, F. abattre, LL. abatere; ab or ad + batere, battere (popular form for L. batuere to beat). Cf. Bate, Batter.] 1. To beat down; to overthrow. [Obs.]
The King of Scots . . . sore abated the walls.
Edw. Hall.
2. To bring down or reduce from a higher to a lower state, number, or degree; to lessen; to diminish; to contract; to moderate; to cut short; as, to abate a demand; to abate pride, zeal, hope.
His eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.
Deut. xxxiv. 7.