Abate

a-bāt′, v.t. to le en: to deduct (with of ): to mitigate: ( law ) to put an end to, do away with, as of an action or a nuisance, to render null, as a writ.— v.i. to grow le .— adjs. Abāt′able , capable of being abated; Abāt′ed , beaten down or cut away, as the background of an ornamental pattern in relief.— n. Abate′ment , the act of abating: the sum or quantity abated: ( law ) the act of intruding on a freehold and taking po e ion before the heir, the abandonment of an action, or the reduction of a legacy: ( her. ) a supposed mark of dishonour on a coat of arms—apparently never actually used.— Abated arms , those whose edges have been blunted for the tournament. [O. Fr. abatre , to beat down—L. ab , from, and batĕre , popular form of batuĕre , to beat: conn. with Beat .]