Abolish


to do away with; put an end to; annul; make void:
to abolish slavery.
Contemporary Examples

You even propose to abolish the teaching of history and literature, two basic humanities.
Alain de Botton on the Benefits of Religion Without God The Daily Beast March 9, 2012

If you call today, Cruz will help to defeat Obamacare; but if you call right now, Cruz will work to abolish the IRS.
Paul, Cruz Duel at ‘Values Voter’ Event Olivia Nuzzi September 25, 2014

To achieve the same scale of cut in the United States, we’d have to abolish both Social Security and Medicare.
How the Euro Crisis Will Affect You David Frum May 20, 2012

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has claimed that Agenda 21 sought to abolish “golf courses, grazing pastures, and paved roads.”
Agenda 21: The U.N. Conspiracy That Just Won’t Die Caitlin Dickson April 12, 2014

Homeschoolers would likely be exempt, then, but we do need to abolish the Classics Major.
St. Hippolytus’ Careers Christians Should Never Have Candida Moss May 3, 2014

Historical Examples

They will abolish themselves when their work is done, but not before.
Daily Thoughts Charles Kingsley

Then there was a debate upon the proposition to abolish the mission to Rome.
Punchinello, Vol. 1, No. 11, June 11, 1870 Various

The House of Lords threw out a bill to abolish the purchase of commissions in the army.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 1 Various

It is the highest power of divine moments that they abolish our contritions also.
Essays, First Series Ralph Waldo Emerson

And this is an order with all kings that now are, or shall succeed, unless they abolish this cruel custom.
The Strange Adventures of Andrew Battell Andrew Battell

verb
(transitive) to do away with (laws, regulations, customs, etc); put an end to
v.

mid-15c., from Middle French aboliss-, present participle stem of abolir “to abolish” (15c.), from Latin abolere “destroy, cause to die out, retard the growth of,” perhaps from ab- “from” (see ab-) + adolere “to grow,” from PIE *ol-eye-, causative of root *al- “to grow, nourish” (see old), and perhaps formed as an antonym to adolere. But the Latin word rather could be from a root in common with Greek ollymi, apollymi “destroy.” Tucker writes that there has been a confusion of forms in Latin, based on similar roots, one meaning “to grow,” the other “to destroy.” Application to persons and concrete objects has long been obsolete. Related: Abolished; abolishing.

Read Also:

  • Abolishment

    to do away with; put an end to; annul; make void: to abolish slavery. Contemporary Examples He also once wrote an article calling for the abolishment of soccer. Do We Need to Be Told How to Read? William Giraldi June 5, 2013 Just last week, Gershom Gorenberg argued in these pages for the abolishment of […]

  • Abolition

    the act of : the abolition of war. the state of being ; annulment; abrogation: the abolition of unjust laws; the abolition of unfair taxes. the legal prohibition and ending of slavery, especially of slavery of blacks in the U.S. Contemporary Examples There is no goal of the abolition of the State of Israel, or […]

  • Abolitionize

    to convert (persons, a region, a state, etc.) to abolitionism. Historical Examples It will abolitionize the Border Slave States—it will brand our institution. The Suppression of the African Slave Trade to the United States of America W. E. B. Du Bois They had proposed by the ballot box to abolitionize at least that portion of […]

  • Abolitionism

    the principle or policy of , especially of slavery of blacks in the U.S. Historical Examples His abolitionism was secondary to his main mission, his main enthusiasm. Emerson and Other Essays John Jay Chapman By Jove, if abolitionism can make your grandma run, I’ll forgive it a lot! Pirate Gold Frederic Jesup Stimson First, then, […]

  • Abolitionist

    (especially prior to the Civil War) a person who advocated or supported the of slavery in the U.S. a person who favors the of any law or practice deemed harmful to society: the abolitionists who are opposed to capital punishment. Contemporary Examples As Brookhiser fully appreciates—he does not equivocate or run from the truth—Lincoln was […]


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