to leave completely and finally; forsake utterly; desert:to abandon one's farm;to abandon a child;to abandon a sinking ship.
to give up; discontinue; withdraw from:to abandon a research project; to abandon hopes for a stage career.
to give up the control of:to abandon a city to an enemy army.
to yield (oneself ) without restraint or moderation; give (oneself ) over to natural impulses, usually without self-control:to abandon oneself to grief.
Lawto cast away, leave, or desert, as property or a child.
Business[Insurance.]to relinquish (insured property) to the underwriter in case of partial loss, thus enabling the insured to claim a total loss.
[Obs.]to banish.
Gmc *band; see bond1
Latin ad; see ad-) + bandon
Middle French abandoner for Old French (mettre) a bandon (put) under (someone's) jurisdiction, equivalent. to a at, to (
Middle English abando(u)nen 1325–75
a•ban′don•a•ble, adj. a•ban′don•er, n. a•ban′don•ment, n.
1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged See desert2.
2.See corresponding entry in UnabridgedAbandon,relinquish,renounce mean to give up all concern in something. Abandon means to give up or discontinue any further interest in something because of discouragement, weariness, distaste, or the like:to abandon one's efforts.Relinquish implies being or feeling compelled to give up something one would prefer to keep:to relinquish a long-cherished desire.Renounce implies making (and perhaps formally stating) a voluntary decision to give something up:to renounce worldly pleasures.
3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged yield, surrender, resign, waive, abdicate.
1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged keep.
2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged continue; begin, start.
3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged retain.
a•ban•don2(ə ban′dən),USA pronunciationn.
a complete surrender to natural impulses without restraint or moderation; freedom from inhibition or conventionality:to dance with reckless abandon.
French, noun, nominal derivative of abandonner to abandon1
to give up completely: to abandon a habit, to abandon hope
to give up (something begun) before completion: to abandon a job, the game was abandoned
to surrender (oneself) to emotion without restraint
to give (insured property that has suffered partial loss or damage) to the insurers in order that a claim for a total loss may be made
freedom from inhibitions, restraint, concern, or worry: she danced with abandon
Etymology: 14th Century: abandounen (vb), from Old French, from a bandon under one's control, in one's power, from a at, to + bandon control, poweraˈbandonment
'with abandon' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):