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   A·bate

   /əˈbāt/

   

   verb

   • 1. (of something perceived as hostile, threatening, or negative) become less intense or widespread: "the storm suddenly abated" Similar subsidedie down/away/outdrop off/awaylessenease (off)let updecreasediminishmoderatedeclinefadedwindleslackenrecedecool offtail offpeter outtaper offwaneebbrelentdesistweakenbecome weakercome to an endarchaic:remitOpposite intensify
   • ▪ cause to become smaller or less intense: "nothing abated his crusading zeal"
   • ▪ lessen, reduce, or remove (especially a nuisance): "this action would not have been sufficient to abate the odor nuisance" Similar decreaselessendiminishreducelowermoderateeasesootherelievedampencalmtone downalleviatemitigatemollifyallayassuagepalliatetemperappeaseattenuateOpposite increase

   Word Origin Middle English (in the legal sense): from Old French abatre ‘to fell’, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + batre ‘to beat’ (from Latin battere, battuere ‘to beat’).

   Scrabble Points: 7

   • A

     1

   • B

     3

   • A

     1

   • T

     1

   • E

     1

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