4. (Civil Law) To disclaim and expel from the family, as a father his child; to disown; to disinherit.
Syn. -- To give up; quit; vacate; relinquish; forsake; abandon; resign; renounce; desert. -- To Abdicate, Resign. Abdicate commonly expresses the act of a monarch in voluntary and formally yielding up sovereign authority; as, to abdicate the government. Resign is applied to the act of any person, high or low, who gives back an office or trust into the hands of him who conferred it. Thus, a minister resigns, a military officer resigns, a clerk resigns. The expression, "The king resigned his crown," sometimes occurs in our later literature, implying that he held it from his people. -- There are other senses of resign which are not here brought into view.
Ab"di*cate (&?;), v. i. To relinquish or renounce a throne, or other high office or dignity.
Though a king may abdicate for his own person, he cannot abdicate for the monarchy.
Burke.
Ab`di*ca"tion (&?;), n. [L. abdicatio: cf. F. abdication.] The act of abdicating; the renunciation of a high office, dignity, or trust, by its holder; commonly the voluntary renunciation of sovereign power; as, abdication of the throne, government, power, authority.
Ab"di*ca*tive (&?;), a. [L. abdicativus.] Causing, or implying, abdication. [R.] Bailey.
Ab"di*ca`tor (&?;), n. One who abdicates.
Ab"di*tive (&?;), a. [L. abditivus, fr. abdere to hide.] Having the quality of hiding. [R.] Bailey.
Ab"di*to*ry (&?;), n. [L. abditorium.] A place for hiding or preserving articles of value. Cowell.
Ab*do"men (&?;), n. [L. abdomen (a word of uncertain etymol.): cf. F. abdomen.] 1. (Anat.) The belly, or that part of the body between the thorax and the pelvis. Also, the cavity of the belly, which is lined by the peritoneum, and contains the stomach, bowels, and other viscera. In man, often restricted to the part between the diaphragm and the commencement of the pelvis, the remainder being called the pelvic cavity.
2. (Zoöl.) The posterior section of the body, behind the thorax, in insects, crustaceans, and other Arthropoda.
Ab*dom"i*nal (&?;), a. [Cf. F. abdominal.] 1. Of or pertaining to the abdomen; ventral; as, the abdominal regions, muscles, cavity.
2. (Zoöl.) Having abdominal fins; belonging to the Abdominales; as, abdominal fishes.
Abdominal ring (Anat.), a fancied ringlike opening on each side of the abdomen, external and superior to the pubes; -- called also inguinal ring.
Ab*dom"i*nal, n.; E. pl. Abdominals, L. pl. Abdominales. A fish of the group Abdominales.
||Ab*dom`i*na"les (&?;), n. pl. [NL., masc. pl.] (Zoöl.) A group including the greater part of fresh- water fishes, and many marine ones, having the ventral fins under the abdomen behind the pectorals.
||Ab*dom`i*na"li*a (&?;), n. pl. [NL., neut. pl.] (Zoöl.) A group of cirripeds having abdominal appendages.
Ab*dom`i*nos"co*py (&?;), n. [L. abdomen + Gr. &?; to examine.] (Med.) Examination of the abdomen to detect abdominal disease.
Ab*dom`i*no*tho*rac"ic (&?;), a. Relating to the abdomen and the thorax, or chest.
Ab*dom"i*nous (&?;), a. Having a protuberant belly; pot-bellied.
Gorgonius sits, abdominous and wan,
Like a fat squab upon a Chinese fan.
Cowper.
Ab*duce" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abduced (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Abducing.] [L. abducere to lead away; ab + ducere to lead. See Duke, and cf. Abduct.] To draw or conduct away; to withdraw; to draw to a different part. [Obs.]
If we abduce the eye unto either corner, the object will not duplicate.
Sir T. Browne.
Ab*duct" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abducted (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Abducting.] [L. abductus, p. p. of abducere. See Abduce.] 1. To take away surreptitiously by force; to carry away (a human being) wrongfully and usually by violence; to kidnap.