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Obviate vs Abate - What's the difference?

obviate | abate |

As a verb obviate

is to bypass a requirement or make it unnecessary; to avoid a future problem or difficult situation.

As a noun abate is

.

obviate

English

Verb

(obviat)
  • To bypass a requirement or make it unnecessary; to avoid a future problem or difficult situation.
  • They saved enough money for their purchase and obviated the need to borrow.
  • * 1826', Richard Reece, ''A Practical Dissertation on the Means of '''Obviating & Treating the Varieties of Costiveness , page 181:
  • A mild dose of a warm active aperient to obviate costiveness, or to produce two motions daily, is generally very beneficial.
  • * 2004 , David J. Anderson, Agile Management for Software Engineering , page 180:
  • Some change requests, rather than extend the scope, obviate some of the existing scope of a project.
  • * 2008 , William S. Kroger, Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis: In Medicine, Dentistry, and Psychology , page 163:
  • Thus, to obviate resistance, the discussion should be relevant to the patient?s problems.

    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

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