abject

v. t. [ From Abject, a. ] To cast off or down; hence, to abase; to degrade; to lower; to debase. [ Obs. ] Donne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A person in the lowest and most despicable condition; a castaway. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Shall these abjects, these victims, these outcasts, know any thing of pleasure? I. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. abjectus, p. p. of abjicere to throw away; ab + jacere to throw. See Jet a shooting forth. ] 1. Cast down; low-lying. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

From the safe shore their floating carcasses
And broken chariot wheels; so thick bestrown
Abject and lost lay these, covering the flood. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Degraded; servile; groveling; despicable; as, abject posture, fortune, thoughts. “Base and abject flatterers.” Addison. “An abject liar.” Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

And banish hence these abject, lowly dreams. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Sunk to a low condition; down in spirit or hope; miserable; -- of persons. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Humiliating; degrading; wretched; -- of situations; as, abject poverty. [ PJC ]

Syn. -- Mean; groveling; cringing; mean-spirited; slavish; ignoble; worthless; vile; beggarly; contemptible; degraded. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A very abject or low condition; abjectness. [ R. ] Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. abjection, L. abjectio. ] 1. The act of bringing down or humbling. “The abjection of the king and his realm.” Joye. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being rejected or cast out. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

An abjection from the beatific regions where God, and his angels and saints, dwell forever. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A low or downcast state; meanness of spirit; abasement; degradation. [ 1913 Webster ]

That this should be termed baseness, abjection of mind, or servility, is it credible? Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]