Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense abandons, present participle abandoning, past tense, past participle abandoned
1. verb
If you abandon a place, thing, or person, you leave the place, thing, or person permanently or fora long time, especially when you should not do so.
He claimed that his parents had abandoned him. [VERB noun]
The road is strewn with abandoned vehicles. [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: leave, strand, ditch [slang], leave behind More Synonyms of abandon
2. verb
If you abandon an activity or piece of work, you stop doing it before it is finished.
The authorities have abandoned any attempt to distribute food. [VERB noun]
The scheme's investors, fearful of bankruptcy, decided to abandon the project. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: stop, drop, give up, halt More Synonyms of abandon
3. verb
If you abandon an idea or way of thinking, you stop having that idea or thinking in that way.
Logic had prevailed and he had abandoned the idea. [VERB noun]
4. verb
If you abandonyourself to an emotion, you think about it a lot and feel it strongly, especially when other people might think you are wrong to do so.
We are scared to abandon ourselves to our feelings in case we seem weak or out ofcontrol. [V pron-refl to n]
5. uncountable noun [usu withN]
If you say that someone does something withabandon, you mean that they behave in a wild, uncontrolled way and do not think or care about how they should behave.
[disapproval]
He has spent money with gay abandon.
Their permissiveness toward their children reflects the wild abandon of their ownlives.
Synonyms: recklessness, dash, wildness, wantonness More Synonyms of abandon
6. See also abandoned
7.
See abandon ship
More Synonyms of abandon
abandon in British English
(əˈbændən)
verb(transitive)
1.
to forsake completely; desert; leave behind
to abandon a baby
drivers had to abandon their cars
2. abandon ship
3.
to give up completely
to abandon a habit
to abandon hope
4.
to yield control of or concern in; relinquish
to abandon office
5.
to give up (something begun) before completion
to abandon a job
the game was abandoned
6.
to surrender (oneself) to emotion without restraint
7.
to give (insured property that has suffered partial loss or damage) to the insurers in order that a claim for a total loss may be made
noun
8.
freedom from inhibitions, restraint, concern, or worry
she danced with abandon
Derived forms
abandonment (aˈbandonment)
noun
Word origin
C14: abandounen (vb), from Old French, from a bandon under one's control, in one's power, from a at, to + bandon control, power
abandon in American English
(əˈbændən)
verb transitive
1.
to give up (something) completely or forever
to abandon all hope
2.
to leave, as in danger or out of necessity; forsake; desert
3.
to yield (oneself) completely, as to a feeling, desire, etc.
noun
4.
unrestrained freedom of action or emotion; surrender to one's impulses
to shout in wild abandon
SIMILAR WORDS: reˈlinquish
SYNONYMY NOTE: abandon implies leaving a person or thing, either as a final, necessary measure [to abandon a drought area] or as a complete rejection of one's responsibilities, claims, etc. [she abandoned her child]; desert1 emphasizes leaving in willful violation, as of one's obligation or oath [the soldier deserted his post]; forsake stresses renouncing a person or thing formerly dear to one [to forsake one's friends or ideals]; quit, basically implying to leave or give up, is now commonly used to mean stop [she quit her job]
OPPOSITE: reclaim
Derived forms
abandonment (aˈbandonment)
noun
Word origin
ME abandonen < OFr abandoner < mettre a bandon, to put under (someone else's) ban, relinquish: see ban1
abandon in Insurance
(əbændən)
Word forms: (present) abandons, (past) abandoned, (perfect) abandoned, (progressive) abandoning
verb
(Insurance: Claims)
If you abandon insured property that has suffered partial loss or damage, you give it to the insurersso that a claim for a total loss may be made.
COLLOCATIONS: ~ a ship~ a property~ a vehicle
Under such conditions, the ocean marine policy permits the insured to abandon the damaged ship or cargo to the insurer and make a claim for the entire value.
The insured may claim for a partial loss or abandon the property to the insurance company and claim a total loss.
If you abandon insured property that has suffered partial loss or damage, you give it to the insurersso that a claim for a total loss may be made.
More idioms containing
abandon
abandon a sinking ship
Examples of 'abandon' in a sentence
abandon
Cars were abandoned and people had to feel their way home along railings.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Other promises include abandoning " plans to store email and internet records without good cause".
Computing (2010)
She lost her funding and thought about abandoning her international hopes.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
His wild abandon has been infectious.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
You don't have a family to just abandon them and leave them.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
I spent about 30 seconds trying to feel distressed but abandoned the attempt.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They abandoned their trapped ships and set out in April 1848 but none made it.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
A British father has abandoned his attempt to become the first person to swim the Atlantic.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The car was found abandoned four hours after that.
The Sun (2006)
There are two possible explanations as to why this idea was abandoned.
The Sun (2014)
Including those who have been abandoned for too long in the race up the tables.
The Sun (2013)
Before you abandon camp leave signs that you have been there and moved on.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
He did not abandon his business completely.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It abandoned a plan to float earlier this year.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Beautiful people in wild abandon was compelling stuff.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The ship took such a battering it had to be abandoned.
Christianity Today (2000)
To do so means abandoning our way back.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The abandoned cars underscore a worrying trend.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Then he got a job with a recruitment company and the portrait idea was abandoned.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
He offers payoff after payoff to gags that we thought were long abandoned.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Having things repaired seems to have become completely abandoned.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Her crew made it to shore after abandoning ship.
The Sun (2006)
The last thing wildlife needs is for us to abandon hope.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It is not so much what we select, more what we leave abandoned.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
If you do lapse, it does not mean you have to abandon your attempts at trying to change.
Pete Cohen and Sten Cummins with Jennai Cox HABIT BUSTING: A 10-step plan that will change your life (2002)
Four days ago he abandoned plans to impose 15.5 per cent tax on interest on savings accounts and life insurance.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The extent of real choice may vary from place to place, yet an attempt to abandon the notion would be extremely unpopular.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It has it all - texture, wild abandon and warmth.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
In other languages
abandon
British English: abandon /əˈbændən/ VERB
If you abandon a thing, place, or person, you leave them permanently or for a long time.
His parents had abandoned him.
American English: abandon
Arabic: يَهْجُرُ
Brazilian Portuguese: abandonar
Chinese: 放弃
Croatian: napustiti
Czech: zanechat
Danish: opgive
Dutch: in de steek laten
European Spanish: abandonar
Finnish: hylätä
French: abandonner
German: verlassen
Greek: εγκαταλείπω
Italian: abbandonare
Japanese: 見捨てる
Korean: 포기하다
Norwegian: forlate
Polish: porzucić
European Portuguese: abandonar
Romanian: a abandona
Russian: оставлять
Latin American Spanish: abandonar
Swedish: överge
Thai: ละทิ้ง
Turkish: terk etmek
Ukrainian: залишати
Vietnamese: từ bỏ
British English: abandon NOUN
with abandon If you say that someone does something with abandon, you mean that they behave in a wild, uncontrolled way and do not think or care about how they should behave.
He has spent money with gay abandon.
American English: abandon
Brazilian Portuguese: despreocupação
Chinese: 放纵
European Spanish: abandono
French: abandon
German: Ungezwungenheit
Italian: abbandono
Japanese: 気まま
Korean: 방종
European Portuguese: despreocupação
Latin American Spanish: abandono
Chinese translation of 'abandon'
abandon
(əˈbændən)
vt
(= leave)[person, family]抛(拋)弃(棄) (pāoqì)
[car]丢(丟)弃(棄) (diūqì)
(= give up)[search, idea, research]放弃(棄) (fàngqì)
n
with abandon尽(盡)情地 (jìnqíng de)
to abandon o.s. to sth使自己沉溺于(於)某事 (shǐ zìjǐ chénnì yú mǒushì)
to abandon ship弃(棄)船 (qìchuán)
1 (verb)
Definition
to desert or leave
She claimed that her friends had abandoned her.
Synonyms
leave
He left me standing there with all our bags.
strand
ditch (slang)
I can't bring myself to ditch him.
leave behind
walk out on
forsake
I still love you and would never forsake you.
jilt
I was jilted by my first fiancé.
run out on
throw over
turn your back on
desert
He deserted our team years ago.
dump
She was dumped by her long-term lover.
leave high and dry
leave in the lurch
let someone stew in their own juice
2 (verb)
Definition
to give up completely
The authorities have abandoned any attempt to distribute food.
Synonyms
stop
We need to stop wasting so much money.
drop
I was told to drop the idea.
give up
halt
They halted at a short distance from the house.
cease
A small number of firms have ceased trading.
cut out
pack in (British, informal)
discontinue
Do not discontinue the treatment without consulting your doctor.
leave off
desist from
Opposites
continue
3 (verb)
They were persuaded to abandon their lawsuit.
Synonyms
give up
After a few attempts he gave up.
resign from
yield
He may yield control.
surrender
She had to surrender all rights to her property.
relinquish
He does not intend to relinquish power.
renounce
He renounced his claim to the throne.
waive
He pled guilty to the charges and waived his right to appeal.
cede
The General had promised to cede power by January.
forgo
The men would not forgo the chance of a feast.
abdicate
Citizens of the world should not abdicate responsibility for the environment.
Opposites
take
,
keep
,
hold
,
claim
(noun)
He has splashed money around with abandon.
Synonyms
recklessness
dash
wildness
wantonness
wild impulse
unrestraint
careless freedom
Opposites
control
,
restraint
,
moderation
phrase
See abandon ship
phrasal verb
See abandon yourself to something
Additional synonyms
in the sense of abdicate
Citizens of the world should not abdicate responsibility for the environment.
Synonyms
renounce,
give up,
abandon,
surrender,
relinquish,
waive,
forgo,
abnegate
in the sense of cease
Definition
to bring or come to an end
A small number of firms have ceased trading.
Synonyms
discontinue,
end,
stop,
fail,
finish,
give up,
conclude,
suspend,
halt,
terminate,
break off,
refrain,
leave off,
give over (informal),
bring to an end,
desist,
belay
in the sense of cede
Definition
to transfer or surrender (territory or legal rights)
The General had promised to cede power by January.