# abaction

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/abaction
Updated: 2026-05-01

## Senses

### 1. theft of livestock

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Formal · Technical

the act of stealing many farm animals at once and taking them away.

For teachers: the forceful carrying away of property, specifically the large-scale theft of cattle or other livestock.

- The old laws included harsh punishments for the abaction of a neighbor's herd.
- The magistrate noted that the abaction of the entire herd constituted a capital offense under the statutes of the period.

Usage: Used as an uncountable noun in historical legal contexts.

Teaching tip: This term is obsolete in modern general English; students will only encounter it in historical legal texts or specialized dictionaries.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.