From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Abate \A*bate"\ ([.a]*b[=a]t"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Abated}, p.
pr. & vb. n. {Abating}.] [OF. abatre to beat down, F.
abattre, LL. abatere; ab or ad + batere, battere (popular
form for L. batuere to beat). Cf. {Bate}, {Batter}.]
1. To beat down; to overthrow. [Obs.]
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The King of Scots . . . sore abated the walls.
--Edw. Hall.
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2. To bring down or reduce from a higher to a lower state,
number, or degree; to lessen; to diminish; to contract; to
moderate; to cut short; as, to abate a demand; to abate
pride, zeal, hope.
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His eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.
--Deut. xxxiv.
7.
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3. To deduct; to omit; as, to abate something from a price.
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Nine thousand parishes, abating the odd hundreds.
--Fuller.
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4. To blunt. [Obs.]
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To abate the edge of envy. --Bacon.
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5. To reduce in estimation; to deprive. [Obs.]
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She hath abated me of half my train. --Shak.
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6. (Law)
(a) To bring entirely down or put an end to; to do away
with; as, to abate a nuisance, to abate a writ.
(b) (Eng. Law) To diminish; to reduce. Legacies are liable
to be abated entirely or in proportion, upon a
deficiency of assets.
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{To abate a tax}, to remit it either wholly or in part.
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