abandon

/ə-ˈban-dən/

Middle English abandounen, borrowed from Anglo-French abanduner, derivative of abandun "surrender, abandonment," from the phrase a bandun "in one's power, at one's disposal," from a "at, to" (going back to Latin ad "to") + bandun "jurisdiction," going back to a Gallo-Romance derivative of Old Low Franconian *bann- "summons, command" (with -d- probably from outcomes of Germanic *bandwō "sign")

verb

  1. to give up to the control or influence of another person or agent

  2. to give up with the intent of never again claiming a right or interest in

  3. to withdraw from often in the face of danger or encroachment

abandon property

abandon desert forsake mean to leave without intending to return. abandon suggests that the thing or person left may be helpless without protection. desert implies that the object left may be weakened but not destroyed by one's absence.

noun

  1. a thorough yielding to natural impulses; especially : enthusiasm, exuberance

idiom

  1. to allow oneself to be fully controlled or affected by (something, such as a strong emotion)

He abandoned himself to despair.