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Derail vs Abort - What's the difference?

derail | abort |

In transitive terms the difference between derail and abort

is that derail is to cause to deviate from a set course or direction while abort is to cause a premature termination of a foetus; to bring forth offspring prematurely; to end a pregnancy before term.

In intransitive terms the difference between derail and abort

is that derail is to deviate from the previous course or direction while abort is to stop or fail at something in the preliminary stages.

derail

English

(wikipedia derail)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A device placed on railway tracks causing a train to derail.
  • The derail was placed deliberately so that the train would fall into the river.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To cause to come off the tracks.
  • The train was destroyed when it was derailed by the penny.
  • To come off the tracks.
  • To deviate from the previous course or direction.
  • The conversation derailed once James brought up politics.
  • To cause to deviate from a set course or direction.
  • The protesting students derailed the professor's lecture.

    Derived terms

    * derailment

    Anagrams

    * * * * * English ergative verbs

    abort

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl), from (etyl) abortus, perfect active participle of .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A miscarriage; an untimely birth; an abortion.
  • *, I.2.4.vi:
  • In Japonia 'tis a common thing to stifle their children if they be poor, or to make an abort , which Aristotle commends.
  • (military, aeronautics) An early termination of a mission, action, or procedure in relation to missiles or spacecraft; the craft making such a mission.
  • We've had aborts on three of our last seven launches.
  • (computing) The function used to abort a process.
  • (computing) An event involving the abort of a process.
  • We've had three aborts over the last two days.

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) abortare, from abortus, from .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To miscarry; to bring forth offspring prematurely.
  • To end prematurely; to stop in the preliminary stages; to turn back.
  • To stop or fail at something in the preliminary stages.
  • (biology) To become checked in normal development, so as either to remain rudimentary or shrink away wholly; to cease organic growth before maturation; to become sterile.
  • (biology) To cause an organism to develop minimally; to cause rudimentary development to happen; to prevent maturation.
  • (military) To fail or abandon a mission for any reason other than enemy action, at any point after the beginning of the mission and prior to its completion.
  • (aeronautics) To terminate a mission involving a missile or rocket; to destroy a missile or rocket prematurely.
  • To cause a premature termination of a foetus; to bring forth offspring prematurely; to end a pregnancy before term.
  • (computing) To terminate a process prior to completion.
  • Derived terms
    * abortable * abortee * aborter * abortifacient * abortion * abortive * abortment * abortorium * abortus
    See also
    * abend * exception

    References

    * * JP 1-02 Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms *

    Anagrams

    * English ergative verbs ----