Definition of ABANDONMENT

abandonment

Meanings

Plural: abandonments

Noun

  • the act of giving something up
  • withdrawing support or help despite allegiance or responsibility
    • "his abandonment of his wife and children left them penniless"
  • the voluntary surrender of property (or a right to property) without attempting to reclaim it or give it away
  • The act of abandoning, or the state of being abandoned; total desertion; relinquishment.
  • The voluntary leaving of a person to whom one is bound by a special relation, as a wife, husband or child; desertion.
  • An abandoned building or structure.
  • The relinquishment of a right, claim, or privilege; relinquishment of right to secure a patent by an inventor; relinquishment of copyright by an author.
  • The relinquishment by the insured to the underwriters of what may remain of the property insured after a loss or damage by a peril insured against.
  • The cessation of service on a particular segment of the lines of a common carrier, as granted by a government agency.
  • A refusal to receive freight so damaged in transit as to be worthless and render carrier liable for its value.
  • The self-surrender to an outside influence.
  • Abandon; careless freedom or ease; surrender to one's emotions.

Origin / Etymology

From French abandonnement, from abandonner (“to abandon, relinquish”). abandonner was originally equivalent to mettre à bandon (“to leave to the jurisdiction, i.e. of another”), bandon being from Medieval Latin bandum, bannum (“order, decree, ban”). Equivalent to abandon + -ment. (See also English banns.)

Scrabble Score: 16

abandonment is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
abandonment is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
abandonment is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 21

abandonment is a valid Words With Friends word