DictionaryAI

abolish

verb
Sayuh-BOL-ish/əˈbɑl.ɪʃ/UK/əˈbɒlɪʃ/

Formsabolishes, abolishing, abolished

2 meanings of abolish

Practice

  1. 1
    verbtransitive
    To officially end a law, rule, or system so it no longer exists.

    Like tearing up an old rule book so no one can ever use it again.

    Many countries have voted to abolish the death penalty.

    The new government abolished the unfair tax within a year.

    Similarcancel, repeal, annul, revoke, nullify

    Oppositeestablish, found

    Note
  2. 2
    verbarchaic
    To completely destroy a physical thing or wipe it out so nothing is left.

    Like an eraser rubbing a drawing off the page until nothing remains.

    The flood seemed to abolish whole villages from the valley.

    And with thy blood abolish so reproachful blot.
    1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie QueeneHere, abolish means to wipe out completely, like washing away a stain.
    Note

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Origin

It comes from Latin abolēre, meaning to destroy or abolish. English took it through Middle French and late Middle English.