abacas 
classic styles, the lower surface of the archi- 
trave. In the Greek Doric it is thick and square, with- 
out sculptured decoration ; in the Ionic order it is thinner, 
and ornamented with mold- 
ings on the sides; in the 
Corinthian also it is orna- 
mented, and has concave 
sides and truncated cor- 
ners. In medieval archi- 
tecture the entablature was 
abandoned and the arch 
placed directly on the col- 
umn or pillar ; the abacus, 
however, was retained until 
Capital of the Parthenon. the decline of the style. In 
A abacus. Byzantine work it is often 
a deep block affiliated with 
classic examples. In western styles every variety of size, 
shape, and ornamentation occurs. The general use of 
a polygonal or round abacus, as more consonant with 
neighboring forms than the square shape, is one of the 
distinctive features of perfected Pointed architecture. 
(b) Any rectangular slab or piece ; especially, 
a stone or marble tablet serving as a side- 
board, shell, or credence. 4. In Rom. antiq., 
a board divided into compartments, for use in a 
game of the nature of draughts, etc. 5. The 
mystic staff carried by the grand master of the 
Templars. Abacus harmonious, (a) In anc. intwic, 
a diagram of the notes with their names. (6) The struc- 
ture and arrangement of the keys or pedals of a musical 
instrument. Abacus major, a trough in which gold is 
washed. E. D.~ Abacus Pythagoricus. See 2, above. 
Abaddon (a-bad'on), . [L. Abaddon, < Gr. 
'A/iaSouv, < Heb. dbaddon, destruction, < abad, 
be lost or destroyed.] 1. The destroyer or 
angel of the bottomless pit; Apollyon (which 
see). Rev. ix. 11. 2. The place of destruc- 
tion ; the depth of hell. 
In all her gates Abaddon rues 
Thy bold attempt. Milton, f. R., iv. 624. 
tened ledge or columella, and a subspiral row 
of perforations extending from the apex to the 
abadevine, n. Same as aberdevine. 
abadir (ab'a-der), n. Among the Phenicians, 
a meteoric stone worshiped as divine. See 
bteti/lus. 
abaft (a-baff), adi: and prep. [< ME. "abaft, 
obaft, ,dn baft : seeoSandoa/J 1 .] Naut., behind; 
aft ; in or at the back or hind part of a ship, 
or the parts which lie toward the stern : op- 
posed to forward ; relatively, further aft, or 
toward the stern : as, abaft the mainmast 
(astern). 
The crew stood aba^ft the windlass and hauled the jib 
down. R. II. Dana, Jr., Before the Mast, p. 32. 
Abaft the beam (naut.), behind a line drawn through 
the middle of a ship at right angles to the keel. 
abaisancet (a-ba'sans), n. [<OF. abaissance, 
abasement, humility (see abase) ; in E. use con- 
fused with obeisance.] Same as obeisance : as, 
"to make a low abaissance," Skinner, Etymol. 
Ling. Ang. 
abaiser (a-ba'ser), n. [Origin not ascertained.] 
Ivory-black or animal charcoal. Weale ; Sim- 
monds. 
abaiss6 (a-ba-sa'),^). a. [F., pp. of abaisser, de- 
press, lower : see abase.] In her., depressed. 
Applied to the fesse or any other bearing having a definite 
place in the shield when it is depressed, or situated below 
its usual place; also applied to the wings of an eagle 
when represented as open, but lower than when dis- 
played (which see). Also abased. 
abaissed (a-basf), p. a. Same as abaisse. 
abaistt, />'.' [ME.; one of numerous forms of the 
pp. of abassen: see abash."] Abashed. Chaucer. 
abaka, . See abaca. 
abalienate (ab-a'lyen-at), t\ t.; pret. and pp. 
abalienated, ppr. abalienatlng. [< L. abaliena- 
tus, pp. of abalienare, separate, transfer the 
ownership of, estrange, < ab, from, + alienare, 
separate, alienate: see alienate.'] 1. In civil 
law, to transfer the title of from one to another ; 
make over to another, as goods. 2f. To es- 
trange or wholly withdraw. 
So to bewitch them, so abalienate their minds. 
Abp. Sandys, Sermons, fol. 132b. 
abalienated (ab-a'lyen-a-ted), p. a. \_<aba- 
lienate.~\ 1. Estranged; transferred, as prop- 
erty. 2. In med. : (a) So decayed or injured 
as to require extirpation, as a part of the body. 
(b) Deranged, as the mind, (c) Corrupted; 
mortified. 
abalienation (ab-a-lyen-a'shon), n. [< L. ab- 
alienatio(n-), transfer of property: see abalien- 
ate.'] 1. The act of transferring or making 
over the title to property to another; the state 
of being abalienated ; transfer ; estrangement. 
2. In med., derangement; corruption. 
abalone (ab-a-16'ne), . [A Sp. form, of un- 
known origin. Cf. Sp. abalorios, bugles, glass 
beads.] A general name on the Pacific coast 
of the United States for marine shells of the 
family Haliotidts (which see), having an oval 
form with a very wide aperture, a narrow, flat- 
Abalone, or Ear-shell ( Haliotis tubfrcHlata ). 
distal margin of the shell. They are used for or- 
namental purposes, such as inlaying, and for the manu- 
facture of buttons and other articles. Also called ear- 
shell, and by the Japanese aimbi (which see). Abalone- 
ineat, the dried animal of the abalone. It is exported 
from California in large quantities. 
abamuTUB (ab-a-mu'rus),n. [ML., < aba- (OF. 
a bas, down, below) + L. munis, wall.] A but- 
tress, or a second wall added to strengthen an- 
other. Weale. 
abant (a-ban'), v. t. [<a-i + ban 1 , r., after 
ME. abanne(n), < AS. dbannan, summon by 
proclamation. ] To ban ; anathematize. See 
oani, v. 
How durst the Bishops in this present council of Trident 
so solemnly to abanne and accurse all them that dared to 
lind fault with the same? Bp. Jewell, Works, II. 697. 
abandt (a-band'), r. '. [Short for abandon.] 
1. To abandon (which see). 
And Vortiger enforst the kingdome to aband. 
Spenser, V. Q., II. x. 66. 
2. To exile ; expel. 
"I'is better far the enemies to aband 
Quite from thy borders. Mir. for Mags., p. 119. 
abandon (a-ban'don), v. t. [< ME. abandonen, 
abandouneii, < OF", abanduner, abandoner (F. 
abandonner = It. abandonnarc ), abandon, equiv. 
to mettre a bandon, put under any one's juris- 
diction, leave to any one's discretion or mercy, 
etc., < bandon, in ME. as an adv. abandon, 
abandoun, under one's jurisdiction, in one's dis- 
cretion or power: a (< L. ad), at, to; bandon, 
a proclamation, decree, order, jurisdiction, = 
Pr. bandon, < ML. "bando(n-), extended form of 
bandum, more correctly bannum, a proclama- 
tion, decree, ban: see ftoni, n.] 1. To detach 
or withdraw one's self from; leave, (a) To de- 
sert ; forsake utterly : as, to abandon one's home ; to aban- 
don duty. 
Abandon fear ; to strength and counsel join'd 
Think nothing hard, much less to be despair'd. 
Milton, P. L., vi. 494. 
(6) To give up ; cease to occupy one's self with ; cease to 
use, follow, etc.; as, to abandon an enterprise; this cus- 
tom was long ago abandoned, (c) To resign, forego, or re- 
nounce ; relinquish all concern in : as, to abandon the 
cares of empire. 
To understand him, and to be charitable to him, we 
should remember that he abandons the vantage-ground 
of authorship, and allows his readers to see him without 
any decorous disguise or show of dignity. 
Whipple, Ess. and Rev., I. 167. 
(d) To relinquish the control of ; yield up without re- 
straint : as, he abandoned the city to the conqueror. 
2f. To outlaw ; banish ; drive out or away. 
Being all this time abandon'd from your bed. 
Shak., T. of the S., Ind.,2. 
3f. To reject or renounce. 
Blessed shall ye be when men shall hate you and aban- 
don your name as evil. Bheims A'. T., Luke vi. 22. 
4. In com., to relinquish to the underwriters 
all claim to, as to ships or goods insured, as 
a preliminary toward recovering for a total 
loss. See abandonment. To abandon one's 
self, to yield one's self up without attempt at control or 
self-restraint : as, to abandon one's self to grief. = Syn. 1. 
Forsake, Desert, Abandon, etc. (see forsake), forego, sur- 
render, leave, evacuate (a place), desist from, forswear, 
divest one's self of, throw away. (See list under abdicate.) 
abandont (a-ban'don), B.I [< abandon, v.] The 
act of giving up or relinquishing ; abandon- 
ment. 
These heavy exactions have occasioned an abandon of 
all mines but what are of the richer sort. Lord Kames. 
abandon (a-bon-don'), . 2 [F., < abandonner, 
give up: see abandon, v.] Abandonment to 
naturalness of action or manner ; freedom from 
constraint or conventionality; dash. 
I love abandon only when natures are capable of the 
extreme reverse. 
Marg. Fuller, Woman in 19th Cent., p. 228. 
abandoned (a-ban'dond), p. a. [Pp. of aban- 
don, v. ; in imitation of F. abandonne in same 
senses, pp. of abandonner.] 1 . Deserted ; utterly 
abannition 
forsaken ; left to destruction: as, an abandoned 
ship. 
If ... we had no hopes of a better state after this, 
... we Christians should he the most abandoned and 
wretched creatures. Att.'rhm'ii. un 1 Cor. xv. 19. 
2. Given up, as to vice, especially to the indul- 
gence of vicious appetites or passions ; shame- 
lessly and recklessly wicked ; profligate. 
Where our abandoned youth she sees, 
Shipwrecked in luxury and lost in ease. Prior, Ode. 
Syn. 1. Forsaken, deserted, given up, relinquished, 
discarded, rejected, destitute, forlorn. 2. Profligate, 
Abandoned, Reprobate, depraved, corrupt, vicious, 
wicked, unprincipled, hardened, dead to honor, incor- 
rigible, irreclaimable. Profligate, abandoned, reprobate 
i-\|iress extreme wickedness that has cast off moral re 
straint. 1'rujtiyate is applied to one who throws away 
means and character in the pursuit of vice, and especially 
denotes depravity exhibited outwardly and conspicuously 
in conduct ; hence it may be used to characterize political 
conduct : as, a proflijiate administration. Abandoned is 
applied to one who has given himself wholly up to the 
gratification of vicious propensities ; it is stronger than 
profligate and weaker than reprobate. Reprobate is applied 
to one who has become insensible to reproof and is past 
hope ; from its use in the Bible it has become the theo- 
logical term for hopeless alienation from virtue or piety. 
(For comparison with depraved, etc., see criminal, a.) 
Next age will see 
A race more profligate than we. Roscommon. 
To be negligent of what any one thinks of you, does not 
only show you arrogant but abandoned. J. Hughes. 
In works they deny him, being abominable, and disobe- 
dient, and unto every good work reprobate. Tit. i. 16. 
abandonedly (a-ban'dond-li), ndr. Ill an 
abandoned manner ; without moral restraint. 
abandonee (a-ban-do-ne'), n. [(abandon, v., 
+ -ee 1 , as if <F. abandonne: see abandoned] 
In laic, one to whom anything is abandoned, 
abandoner (a-ban'don-er), n. [< abandon, v., 
+ -erl.] One who abandons. 
Alxindnntr of revells, mute, contemplatiue. 
Beau, and Fl., Two Noble Kinsmen. 
abandonment (a-ban'don -ment), n. [<F. 
abandonneient,< abandonner. give up (see aban- 
don, v.), + -ment.] 1. The act of abandoning, 
or the state of being abandoned ; absolute re- 
linquishment ; total desertion. 
The ablest men in the Christian community vied with 
one another in inculcating as the highest form of duty the 
abandonment of social ties and the mortification of domes- 
tic affections. Lecky, Europ. Morals, II. 140. 
2. Abandon ; enthusiasm ; freedom from con- 
straint. 
There can be no greatness without abandonment. 
Emerson, Works and Days. 
In eloquence the great triumphs of the art are, when 
the orator is lifted above himself. . . . Hence the term 
abandonment, to describe the self-surrender of the orator. 
Emerson, Art. 
3. In law : (a) The relinquishment of a pos- 
session, privilege, or claim, (b) The voluntary 
leaving of a person to whom one is bound by 
a relationship of obligation, as a wife, husband, 
or child; desertion. 4. In maritime late, the 
surrender of a ship and freight by the owner 
to one who has become his creditor through 
contracts made by the latter with the master 
of the ship. In effect such an abandonment 
may release the owner from further responsi- 
bility. 5. In marine insurance, the relinquish- 
ing to underwriters of all the property saved 
from loss by shipwreck, capture, or other peril 
provided against in the policy, in order that the 
insured may be entitled to indemnification for 
a total loss. 6. In the customs, the giving up of 
an article by the importer to avoid payment of 
the duty. Abandonment for wrongs, in civil law, 
the relinquishment of a slave or an animal that had com- 
mitted a trespass to the person injured, in discharge of 
the owner's liability for the trespass. Abandonment of 
railways, in Eng. lav, the title of a statute under which 
any scheme for making a railway may be abandoned and 
the company dissolved by warrant of the Board of Trade 
and consent of three fifths of the stock. Abandonment 
Of an action, in Scots law, the act by which the pursuer 
abandons the cause. When this is done, the pursuer must 
pay costs, but may bring a new action. Abandonment of 
the action is equivalent to the English discontinuance, 
noiumit , or nolle prosegui. Abandonment to the sec- 
ular arm, in old eccles. laic, the handing over of an 
offender by the church to the civil authorities for punish- 
ment such as could not be administered by the ecclesi- 
astical tribunals. 
abandumt (a-ban'dum), n. [ML., also aban- 
donum and abandonniiim, formed in imitation 
of F. abandon : see abandon.] In old law, any- 
thing forfeited or confiscated. 
abanet (ab'a-net), n. See abm-l. 
abanga (a-bang'ga), . [Native name.] The 
fruit of a species of palm found in the island 
of St. Thomas, West Indies, which is said to be 
useful in pulmonary diseases. 
abannitiont, abanriationt (ab-a-nish'on, -na'- 
shpn), n. [< ML. abannitio(n-), abannatio(n-), < 
"abannire, -are, after E. aban(ne) or ban, F. ban- 
