Part 6

Defense in abatement, Plea in abatement, (Law), plea to the effect that from some formal defect (e.g. misnomer, want of jurisdiction) the proceedings should be abated.

A*bat"er (-r), n. One who, or that which, abates.

{ Ab"a*tis, Aba"t*tis, } (b"*ts; French `b`t") n. [F. abatis, abattis, mass of things beaten or cut down, fr. abattre. See Abate.] (Fort.) A means of defense formed by felled trees, the ends of whose branches are sharpened and directed outwards, or against the enemy.

Ab"a*tised (b"*tst), a. Provided with an abatis.

A*ba"tor (*bt"r), n. (Law) (a) One who abates a nuisance. (b) A person who, without right, enters into a freehold on the death of the last possessor, before the heir or devisee. Blackstone.

||A`bat`toir" (`bt`twär"), n.; pl. Abattoirs (- twärz"). [F., fr. abattre to beat down. See Abate.] A public slaughterhouse for cattle, sheep, etc.

Ab"a*ture (b"*tr; 135), n. [F. abatture, fr. abattre. See Abate.] Grass and sprigs beaten or trampled down by a stag passing through them. Crabb.

||A`bat`voix" (`b`vwä"), n. [F. abattre to beat down + voix voice.] The sounding- board over a pulpit or rostrum.

Ab*awed" (b*d"), p. p. [Perh. p. p. of a verb fr. OF. abaubir to frighten, disconcert, fr. L. ad + balbus stammering.] Astonished; abashed. [Obs.] Chaucer.

{ Ab*ax"i*al (b*ks"*al), Ab*ax"ile (b*ks"l),} a. [L. ab + axis axle.] (Bot.) Away from the axis or central line; eccentric. Balfour.

A*bay" (*b"), n. [OF. abay barking.] Barking; baying of dogs upon their prey. See Bay. [Obs.]

Abb (b), n. [AS. web, b; pref. a- + web. See Web.] Among weavers, yarn for the warp. Hence, abb wool is wool for the abb.

Ab"ba (b"b), n. [Syriac abb father. See Abbot.] Father; religious superior; -- in the Syriac, Coptic, and Ethiopic churches, a title given to the bishops, and by the bishops to the patriarch.

Ab"ba*cy (b"b*s), n.; pl. Abbacies (-sz). [L. abbatia, fr. abbas, abbatis, abbot. See Abbey.] The dignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot.

Ab*ba"tial (b*b"shal), a. [LL. abbatialis : cf. F. abbatial.] Belonging to an abbey; as, abbatial rights.

Ab*bat"ic*al (b*bt"*kal), a. Abbatial. [Obs.]

||Ab"bé` (b"b`), n. [F. abbé. See Abbot.] The French word answering to the English abbot, the head of an abbey; but commonly a title of respect given in France to every one vested with the ecclesiastical habit or dress.

After the 16th century, the name was given, in social parlance, to candidates for some priory or abbey in the gift of the crown. Many of these aspirants became well known in literary and fashionable life. By further extension, the name came to be applied to unbeneficed secular ecclesiastics generally. Littré.

Ab"bess (b"bs), n. [OF. abaesse, abeesse, F. abbesse, L. abbatissa, fem. of abbas, abbatis, abbot. See Abbot.] A female superior or governess of a nunnery, or convent of nuns, having the same authority over the nuns which the abbots have over the monks. See Abbey.

Ab"bey (b"b), n.; pl. Abbeys (-bz). [OF. abaïe, abbaïe, F. abbaye, L. abbatia, fr. abbas abbot. See Abbot.] 1. A monastery or society of persons of either sex, secluded from the world and devoted to religion and celibacy; also, the monastic building or buildings.

The men are called monks, and governed by an abbot; the women are called nuns, and governed by an abbess.

2. The church of a monastery.

In London, the Abbey means Westminster Abbey, and in Scotland, the precincts of the Abbey of Holyrood. The name is also retained for a private residence on the site of an abbey; as, Newstead Abbey, the residence of Lord Byron.

Syn. -- Monastery; convent; nunnery; priory; cloister. See Cloister.

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Ab"bot (&?;), n. [AS. abbod, abbad, L. abbas, abbatis, Gr. 'abba^s, fr. Syriac abb father. Cf. Abba, Abbé.]

1. The superior or head of an abbey.

2. One of a class of bishops whose sees were formerly abbeys. Encyc. Brit.