abandon

Universal Words verb, noun verb [VN] 1 ~ sb (to sth) to leave sb, especially sb you are responsible for, with no intention of returning: The baby had been abandoned by its mother. * People often simply abandon their pets when they go abroad. * The study showed a deep fear among the elderly of being abandoned to the care of strangers. 2 ~ sth (to sb/sth) to leave a thing or place, especially because it is impossible or dangerous to stay: Snow forced many drivers to abandon their vehicles. * They had to abandon their lands and property to the invading forces. * He gave the order to abandon ship (= to leave the ship because it was sinking). 3 to stop supporting or helping sb; to stop believing in sth: The country abandoned its political leaders after the war. * By 1930 he had abandoned his Marxist principles. 4 to stop doing sth, especially before it is finished; to stop having sth: They had to abandon the match because of rain. * I have abandoned hope of any reconciliation. * We had to abandon any further attempt at negotiation. 5 ~ yourself to sth (literary) to feel an emotion so strongly that you can feel nothing else: He abandoned himself to despair. noun [U] (written) an uncontrolled way of behaving that shows that sb does not care what other people think: He signed cheques with careless abandon. IDIOMS see GAYadj.