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Abate vs Cease - What's the difference?

abate | cease |

As a noun abate

is .

As a verb cease is

(formal|intransitive) to stop.

abate

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) abaten, from (etyl) . Cognate to modern French abattre .

Verb

(abat)
  • (transitive, obsolete, outside, legal) To put an end to; to cause to cease.
  • to abate a nuisance
  • To become null and void.
  • The writ has abated .
  • (legal) To nullify; make void.
  • to abate a writ
  • (obsolete) To humble; to lower in status; to bring someone down physically or mentally.
  • *
  • The hyer that they were in this present lyf, the moore shulle they be abated and defouled in helle.
  • (obsolete) To be humbled; to be brought down physically or mentally.
  • (obsolete) To curtail; to deprive.
  • Order restrictions and prohibitions to abate an emergency situation.
  • * 1605 , , King Lear , II.ii:
  • She hath abated me of half my train.
  • To reduce in amount, size, or value.
  • Legacies are liable to be abated entirely or in proportion, upon a deficiency of assets.
  • *
  • His eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated .
  • To decrease in size, value, or amount.
  • To moderate; to lessen in force, intensity, to subside.
  • * 1597 , , [http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/575 Essays or Counsels, Civil and Morall] :
  • Not that they feel it so, but only to abate the edge of envy.
  • * 1855 , , History of England from the Accession of James II, Part 3 , [http://books.google.com/books?id=MN5CNdgbSTYC&pg=PA267 page 267]:
  • The fury of Glengarry rapidly abated .
  • To decrease in intensity or force; to subside.
  • * :
  • To deduct or omit.
  • We will abate this price from the total.
  • * 1845 , , The Church History of Britain , Volume 3, [http://books.google.com/books?id=OfefAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA100 page 100]:
  • Allowing nine thousand parishes (abating the odd hundreds) in England and Wales
  • To bar or except.
  • *
  • Abating his brutality, he was a very good master.
  • To cut away or hammer down, in such a way as to leave a figure in relief, as a sculpture, or in metalwork.
  • (obsolete) To dull the edge or point of; to blunt.
  • (archaic) To destroy, or level to the ground.
  • * 1542 , , The Union of the Noble and Illustre Famelies of Lancastre and York :
  • The kynge of Scottes planted his siege before the castell of Norham, and sore abated the walls.
    Synonyms
    * (bring down or reduce) lessen; diminish; contract; moderate; cut short; decrease * (diminish in force or intensity) diminish; subside; decline; wane; ebb * (bring someone down) humble; depress * (come to naught) fall through; fail
    Antonyms
    * augment; accelerate; intensify; rise; revive
    Derived terms
    * abatable * abatement * abater * unabated * abate of

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Abatement.
  • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) abatre, an alteration of enbatre, from (etyl) en + .

    Verb

    (abat)
  • (legal) To enter a tenement without permission after the owner has died and before the heir takes possession.
  • Etymology 4

    From (etyl) abate, from (etyl) .

    Alternative forms

    * abbate

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An Italian abbot, or other member of the clergy.
  • References

    * * ----

    cease

    English

    Verb

    (ceas)
  • (formal) To stop.
  • And with that, his twitching ceased .
  • (formal) To stop doing (something).
  • And with that, he ceased twitching.
  • (obsolete) To be wanting; to fail; to pass away.
  • * Bible, Deuteronomy xv. 11
  • The poor shall never cease out of the land.