ABATE
What does "ABATE" mean?
To become less intense or widespread; to diminish or reduce in force.
Meanings
- To grow less; to subside in strength or amount. We waited on the porch until the storm began to abate.
- To lessen, lower, or reduce something deliberately. The new filters abate the pollution leaving the plant.
- In law, to make void, end, or suppress (a nuisance or legal action). The court ordered the company to abate the nuisance within thirty days. technical
Word origin
From Old French 'abatre' ('to beat down'), from Vulgar Latin 'abbattere', from Latin 'ad-' (to) plus 'battere' (to beat).
Remember it
A-BATE: think of a storm that 'ate' less and less of the sky until it died down - it abated.
A little poem
The fever lets go-
rain that hammered all the night
softens into mist.
haiku
Wordplay
- I told the rising tide to calm down. It refused to abate - clearly it had no chill.
What it teaches
Most overwhelming things are not endured but outwaited; force that peaks must abate.
Quick facts
What does ABATE mean?
To become less intense or widespread; to diminish or reduce in force.
Is ABATE a valid word?
Yes — ABATE is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is ABATE?
ABATE has 5 letters and 2 syllables.
Where does ABATE come from?
From Old French 'abatre' ('to beat down'), from Vulgar Latin 'abbattere', from Latin 'ad-' (to) plus 'battere' (to beat).
What can ABATE teach us?
Most overwhelming things are not endured but outwaited; force that peaks must abate.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.