abandon

a|ban|don1 [ ə`bændən ] verb transitive **

▸ 1 leave someone

▸ 2 leave a place

▸ 3 leave something somewhere

▸ 4 stop doing/planning something

▸ 5 stop supporting an idea

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) to leave someone when you should stay with them and take care of them:

His mother abandoned him when he was five days old.

a ) to stop supporting or helping someone:

Hardy felt that he had been abandoned by all his followers.

b ) INFORMAL to suddenly leave someone that you are with:

I'm sorry I abandoned you like that.

2. ) to leave a place, especially because it is difficult or dangerous to stay there:

Most of the villagers have abandoned their homes and fled.

The coastal settlements were abandoned in the 19th century.

3. ) to leave something in a place, especially because you are in a hurry or are trying to escape:

The stolen car was abandoned only five miles away.

a pile of abandoned rifles

4. ) to stop something that you are doing or planning to do, especially because it is too difficult to continue:

After 20 lessons I finally abandoned my attempt to learn to drive.

George almost persuaded me to abandon my studies and join him.

a ) to stop behaving or talking in a particular way, because it does not help you to achieve what you want:

She abandoned caution and began scrambling down the cliff.

abandon all/any pretense (=stop trying to pretend something): By 1978, they had abandoned all pretense of democratic principles.

5. ) to stop believing or supporting an idea:

Despite current problems, they have not abandoned their commitment to the peace process.

By this time, the steady state theory of the universe had been largely abandoned.

abandon (all) hope

to stop believing or hoping that something will happen:

The family had abandoned all hope of finding him alive.

abandon ship

1. ) to leave a ship or boat because it is dangerous to stay

2. ) to leave an organization because you think it will fail

abandon yourself to something LITERARY

to feel an emotion so strongly that you do not think about anything else

╾ a|ban|don|ment noun uncount

abandon

a|ban|don 2 [ ə`bændən ] noun

with abandon

in an uncontrolled way, as if you do not care what the result will be:

The kids were splashing on paint with abandon.

with reckless/gay abandon: This year holiday shoppers are spending money with reckless abandon.