Part 35

Ab*sume" (b*sm"), v. t. [L. absumere, absumptum; ab + sumere to take.] To consume gradually; to waste away. [Obs.] Boyle.

Ab*sump"tion (b*smp"shn; 215), n. [L. absumptio. See Absume.] Act of wasting away; a consuming; extinction. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

Ab*surd" (b*sûrd"), a. [L. absurdus harsh-sounding; ab + (prob) a derivative fr. a root svar to sound; not connected with surd: cf. F. absurde. See Syringe.] Contrary to reason or propriety; obviously and flatly opposed to manifest truth; inconsistent with the plain dictates of common sense; logically contradictory; nonsensical; ridiculous; as, an absurd person, an absurd opinion; an absurd dream.

This proffer is absurd and reasonless. Shak.

'This phrase absurd to call a villain great. Pope. p. 9

Syn. -- Foolish; irrational; ridiculous; preposterous; inconsistent; incongruous. -- Absurd, Irrational, Foolish, Preposterous. Of these terms, irrational is the weakest, denoting that which is plainly inconsistent with the dictates of sound reason; as, an irrational course of life. Foolish rises higher, and implies either a perversion of that faculty, or an absolute weakness or fatuity of mind; as, foolish enterprises. Absurd rises still higher, denoting that which is plainly opposed to received notions of propriety and truth; as, an absurd man, project, opinion, story, argument, etc. Preposterous rises still higher, and supposes an absolute inversion in the order of things; or, in plain terms, a "putting of the cart before the horse;" as, a preposterous suggestion, preposterous conduct, a preposterous regulation or law.

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Ab*surd" (b*sûrd"), n. An absurdity. [Obs.] Pope.

Ab*surd"i*ty (-*t), n.; pl. Absurdities (-tz). [L. absurditas: cf. F. absurdite.] 1. The quality of being absurd or inconsistent with obvious truth, reason, or sound judgment. "The absurdity of the actual idea of an infinite number." Locke.

2. That which is absurd; an absurd action; a logical contradiction.

His travels were full of absurdities. Johnson.

Ab*surd"ly, adv. In an absurd manner.

Ab*surd"ness, n. Absurdity. [R.]

||A*bu"na (*b"n), n. [Eth. and Ar., our father.] The Patriarch, or head of the Abyssinian Church.

A*bun"dance (*bn"dans), 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.

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.

A*bun"dant*ly, adv. In a sufficient degree; fully; amply; plentifully; in large measure.

A*burst" (&?;), adv. [Pref. a- + burst.] In a bursting condition.

A*bus"a*ble (&?;), a. That may be abused.

A*bus"age (&?;), n. Abuse. [Obs.] Whately (1634).

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.