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to reduce in amount, degree, intensity, etc.; lessen; diminish:
to abate a tax; to abate one’s enthusiasm.
Law.

to put an end to or suppress (a nuisance).
to suspend or extinguish (an action).
to annul (a writ).

to deduct or subtract:
to abate part of the cost.
to omit:
to abate all mention of names.
to remove, as in stone carving, or hammer down, as in metalwork, (a portion of a surface) in order to produce a figure or pattern in low relief.
to diminish in intensity, violence, amount, etc.:
The storm has abated. The pain in his shoulder finally abated.
Law. to end; become null and void.
Contemporary Examples

That modern science has repeatedly affirmed their findings does little to abate the continuing doubt.
Shanin Specter on His 50 Years With the Single Bullet Theory Shanin Specter November 7, 2013

Perhaps, under different circumstances, with other kinds of modern Jewish women, their anger might start to abate.
Talking to Women of the Wall’s Ultra-Orthodox Teenage Protesters Elisheva Goldberg November 5, 2013

To abate the overload, The Daily Beast created its first list of the best destinations on the Web.
Beast Best Awards: The Daily Beast Picks the Best of the Web June 16, 2013

The purge marked a bold effort by the Islamist leader to abate widespread anger over the attack.
Mohamed Morsi Stages a Risky Palace Coup Sacking Egyptian Army Chief Vivian Salama August 12, 2012

Whatever the motive, by late last week it seemed the military standoff might abate.
South Sudan’s Looming War With Sudan as Warplanes Bomb Bentiu Laura Heaton April 25, 2012

Historical Examples

The gale did not abate; nothing but the boisterous sea and the overcast sky could I see about me.
Swept Out to Sea W. Bertram Foster

But the colonel did not abate one whit of his craft or caution.
The Rock of Chickamauga Joseph A. Altsheler

The same reason which contributes to alleviate the guilt, must have tended to abate the vigor, of their persecutions.
The History of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Edward Gibbon

Certainly, but I shall exert all my strength to abate yours.
The Memoires of Casanova, Complete Jacques Casanova de Seingalt

The Land here begins to abate of its Height, and has some few Swamps.
A New Voyage to Carolina John Lawson

verb
to make or become less in amount, intensity, degree, etc: the storm has abated
(transitive) (law)

to remove, suppress, or terminate (a nuisance)
to suspend or extinguish (a claim or action)
to annul (a writ)

(intransitive) (law) (of a writ, legal action, etc) to become null and void
(transitive) to subtract or deduct, as part of a price
v.

“put an end to” (c.1300); “to grow less, diminish in power or influence” (early 14c.), from Old French abattre “beat down, cast down,” from Vulgar Latin *abbatere, from Latin ad “to” (see ad-) + battuere “to beat” (see batter (v.)). Secondary sense of “to fell, slaughter” is in abatis and abattoir. Related: Abated; abating.