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abandon

/əˈbændən/v

abandon

Meanings

  1. 1
    v

    to give up a plan, activity, or hope

    give updropquitforsake

    Collocations

    • abandon negotiations
    • abandon an attempt
    • abandon the strategy
  2. 2
    v

    to leave someone or something permanently or without support

    The company had to abandon the old warehouse after the storm.
    desertleaveforsake

    Collocations

    • abandon the building
    • abandoned by the owner
    • abandon the vessel

Etymology

abandon comes from Old French abandoner, connected with the phrase a bandon, "at someone's control or authority." The idea was to leave something under another's power or outside one's own protection. From there it developed the sense of giving up a claim, plan, activity, or hope completely.

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