abandon
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to leave a person, place, or thing forever, especially when you should stay and look after it.
v.to desert or forsake a person, place, or thing, often in breach of a duty or responsibility.
Simple“The sailors had to abandon the sinking ship and get into lifeboats.”
In context“The explorers were forced to abandon their heavy equipment in the snow to ensure they reached the base camp before the storm intensified.”
UsageThis verb is transitive and requires a direct object.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to stop doing something before it is finished, often because it is too difficult.
v.to discontinue an activity, project, or belief before completion or fulfillment.
Simple“The company decided to abandon the project because it was losing too much money.”
In context“The government was urged to abandon its controversial new policy after widespread public protests across the capital.”
UsageOften followed by a noun phrase or a gerund.
- 03 C1 Advanced
n.a feeling of acting in a completely free way without worrying about what happens.
n.a state of complete lack of inhibition or restraint; a yielding to natural impulses.
Simple“The children danced with total abandon in the rain.”
In context“She played the violin with such wild abandon that the audience sat in stunned silence until the final note faded.”
UsageAlmost always used in the prepositional phrase 'with abandon'.
“There are good reasons to abandon books we’re not enjoying, but our attenuated attention might lead us to tap out too early.”
“He said Ankara’s relations with Libya were stable and that Turkiye would not abandon it.”
From Middle English abandounen, from Old French abandoner, formed from a (“at, to”) + bandon (“jurisdiction, control”), from Late Latin bannum (“proclamation”), bannus, bandum, from Frankish ban, bann, from Proto-Germanic bannaną (“to proclaim, command”) (whence English ban), from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₂- (“to speak”). See also ban, banal. Displaced Middle English forleten (“to abandon”), from Old English forlǣtan, anforlǣtan; see forlet; and Middle English forleven (“to leave behind, abandon”), from Old English forlǣfan; see forleave.
From Middle English abandoun, from Old French abandon, from Old French abondonner.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.