Dictionary

abate

verb \ə-ˈbāt\

: to become weaker : to decrease in strength

abat·edabat·ing

Full Definition of ABATE

transitive verb
1
a :  to put an end to <abate a nuisance>
b :  nullify 1 <abate a writ>
2
a :  to reduce in degree or intensity :  moderate <may abate their rancor to win peace>
b :  to reduce in value or amount :  make less especially by way of relief <abate a tax>
3
:  deduct, omit <abate part of the price>
4
a :  to beat down or cut away so as to leave a figure in relief
b obsolete :  blunt
5
:  deprive 2
intransitive verb
1
:  to decrease in force or intensity
2
a :  to become defeated or become null or void
b :  to decrease in amount or value
abat·er noun
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Examples of ABATE

  1. For a while, in the Cold War's aftermath, the public fascination for espionage may abate, though somehow I doubt it. —John le Carré, Boston Globe, 19 Nov. 1989

Origin of ABATE

Middle English, from Anglo-French abatre to strike down — more at rebate
First Known Use: 13th century

Synonym Discussion of ABATE

abate, subside, wane, ebb mean to die down in force or intensity. abate stresses the idea of progressive diminishing <the storm abated>. subside implies the ceasing of turbulence or agitation <the protests subsided after a few days>. wane suggests the fading or weakening of something good or impressive <waning enthusiasm>. ebb suggests the receding of something (as the tide) that commonly comes and goes <the ebbing of daylight>.
synonyms see in addition decrease

Rhymes with ABATE

ablate, adnate, aerate, age-mate, agnate, airdate, airfreight, alate, arête, await, backdate, baldpate, bandmate, baseplate, bedmate, bedplate, berate, birthrate, bistate, bite plate, blank slate, blind date, blue plate, bookplate, breastplate, casemate, castrate, caudate, cell plate, cerate, cheapskate, checkmate, chelate, chordate, citrate, classmate, clavate, cognate, collate, comate, conflate, connate, Cook Strait, cordate, create, cremate, crenate, curate, cut-rate, deadweight, death rate, debate, deflate, delate, dentate, derate, dictate, dilate, disrate, donate, doorplate, downstate, drawplate, elate, end plate, equate, estate, faceplate, falcate, fellate, filtrate, first-rate, fishplate, fixate, flatmate, floodgate, fluxgate, flyweight, folate, formate, frustrate, gelate, gestate, ground state, gyrate, hamate, hastate, headgate, Hell Gate, helpmate, home plate, hot plate, housemate, hydrate, ice-skate, inflate, ingrate, inmate, innate, instate, irate, jailbait, Kuwait, lactate, lapse rate, legate, liftgate, ligate, lightweight, liquate, lobate, locate, lunate, lustrate, lych-gate, lyrate, magnate, makebate, makeweight, mandate, messmate, migrate, misstate, mutate, nameplate, narrate, negate, Newgate, nitrate, notate, nutate, oblate, of late, orate, ornate, ovate, palmate, palpate, peltate, phonate, pinnate, placate, playdate, playmate, plicate, portrait, postdate, predate, prime rate, probate, prolate, pronate, prorate, prostate, prostrate, punctate, pupate, quadrate, rain date, ramate, rebate, red-bait, relate, restate, roommate, rostrate, rotate, saccate, schoolmate, seatmate, sedate, sensate, septate, serrate, shipmate, short weight, slave state, soleplate, soul mate, spectate, spicate, squamate, stagnate, stalemate, stellate, striate, sublate, substrate, sulcate, summate, tailgate, teammate, Tebet, tenth-rate, ternate, terneplate, testate, third-rate, tinplate, to date, toeplate, tollgate, tractate, translate, tristate, truncate, unweight, update, uprate, upstate, V-8, vacate, vallate, valvate, vibrate, virgate, vulgate, whitebait, workmate
ABATE Defined for Kids

abate

verb \ə-ˈbāt\
abat·edabat·ing

Definition of ABATE for Kids

:  to make or become less <The flood abated slowly.>
abate·ment \-mənt\ noun <The noise continued without abatement.>

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