v.
- give up (an action or practice) completely.
- desert or leave permanently.
-
(abandon oneself to)
indulge in (a desire or impulse) without restraint.
▸
[
as adj. abandoned]
unrestrained; uninhibited:
a wild, abandoned dance.
n.
lack of inhibition or restraint.
Phrase
- abandon ship
leave a ship because it is sinking.
Derivative
Etymology
ME: from OFr. abandoner, from a- (from L. ad ‘to, at’) + bandon ‘control’ (rel. to ban1).