Abundance
(A*bun"dance) n. [OE. (h)abundaunce, abundance, F. abondance, L. abundantia, fr.
abundare. See Abound.] An overflowing fullness; ample sufficiency; great plenty; profusion; copious supply; superfluity; wealth: —
strictly applicable to quantity only, but sometimes used of number.
It is lamentable to remember what abundance of noble blood hath been shed with small benefit to the
Christian state.
Raleigh.
Syn. — Exuberance; plenteousness; plenty; copiousness; overflow; riches; affluence; wealth. — Abundance,
Plenty, Exuberance. These words rise upon each other in expressing the idea of fullness. Plenty denotes
a sufficiency to supply every want; as, plenty of food, plenty of money, etc. Abundance express more,
and gives the idea of superfluity or excess; as, abundance of riches, an abundance of wit and humor; often,
however, it only denotes plenty in a high degree. Exuberance rises still higher, and implies a bursting
forth on every side, producing great superfluity or redundance; as, an exuberance of mirth, an exuberance
of animal spirits, etc.
Abundant
(A*bun"dant) a. [OE. (h)abundant, aboundant, F. abondant, fr. L. abudans, p. pr. of abundare.
See Abound.] Fully sufficient; plentiful; in copious supply; — followed by in, rarely by with. "Abundant
in goodness and truth." Exod. xxxiv. 6.
Abundant number (Math.), a number, the sum of whose aliquot parts exceeds the number itself. Thus,
1, 2, 3, 4, 6, the aliquot parts of 12, make the number 16. This is opposed to a deficient number, as
14, whose aliquot parts are 1, 2, 7, the sum of which is 10; and to a perfect number, which is equal to
the sum of its aliquot parts, as 6, whose aliquot parts are 1, 2., 3.
Syn. — Ample; plentiful; copious; plenteous; exuberant; overflowing; rich; teeming; profuse; bountiful; liberal.
See Ample.
Abundantly
(A*bun"dant*ly), adv. In a sufficient degree; fully; amply; plentifully; in large measure.
Aburst
(A*burst") adv. [Pref. a- + burst.] In a bursting condition.
Abusable
(A*bus"a*ble) a. That may be abused.
Abusage
(A*bus"age) n. Abuse. [Obs.] Whately
Abuse
(A*buse") v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abused ; p. pr. & vb. n. Abusing.] [F. abuser; L. abusus, p. p.
of abuti to abuse, misuse; ab + uti to use. See Use.]
1. To put to a wrong use; to misapply; to misuse; to put to a bad use; to use for a wrong purpose or end; to
pervert; as, to abuse inherited gold; to make an excessive use of; as, to abuse one's authority.
This principle (if one may so abuse the word) shoots rapidly into popularity.
Froude.
2. To use ill; to maltreat; to act injuriously to; to punish or to tax excessively; to hurt; as, to abuse prisoners,
to abuse one's powers, one's patience.
3. To revile; to reproach coarsely; to disparage.
The . . . tellers of news abused the general.
Macaulay.
4. To dishonor. "Shall flight abuse your name?" Shak.
5. To violate; to ravish. Spenser.
