abandonment

== English == === Etymology === Borrowed from French abandonnement, from abandonner (“to abandon, relinquish”). abandonner was originally equivalent to mettre à bandon (“to leave to the jurisdiction, i.e. of another”), bandon being from Medieval Latin bandum, bannum (“order, decree, ban”). Equivalent to abandon +‎ -ment. (See also English banns.) === Pronunciation === (without æ-raising) IPA(key): /əˈbæn.d(ə)n.m(ə)nt/ (æ-raising) IPA(key): /əˈbeə̯n.d(ə)n.m(ə)nt/, /əˈbɛə̯n.d(ə)n.m(ə)nt/ Hyphenation: a‧ban‧don‧ment === Noun === abandonment (countable and uncountable, plural abandonments) The act of abandoning, or the state of being abandoned; total desertion; relinquishment. [Late 16th century.] The voluntary leaving of a person to whom one is bound by a special relation, as a wife, husband or child; desertion. An abandoned building or structure. (law) The relinquishment of a right, claim, or privilege; relinquishment of right to secure a patent by an inventor; relinquishment of copyright by an author. [Early 19th century.] (law) The relinquishment by the insured to the underwriters of what may remain of the property insured after a loss or damage by a peril insured against. [Early 19th century.] The cessation of service on a particular segment of the lines of a common carrier, as granted by a government agency. A refusal to receive freight so damaged in transit as to be worthless and render carrier liable for its value. The self-surrender to an outside influence. [Mid 19th century.] Abandon; careless freedom or ease; surrender to one's emotions. [Mid 19th century.] ==== Synonyms ==== ==== Antonyms ==== ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === References === === Further reading === Abandonment in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911) “abandonment”, in OneLook Dictionary Search. “abandonment”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.