Abolish

/əˈbɑːlɪʃ/

verbIntermediate🔥Very CommonAction
1 meaning2 questions

Definitions

1

to put an end to (something, especially a law or systematic practice); to make ineffective

/əˈbɑːlɪʃ/

verbneutralIntermediate
Action

put an end to; make ineffective

The government abolished the death penalty.

More Examples

2

They decided to abolish the outdated rule.

3

The new law will finally abolish child labor.

How It's Used

General

"The new law aims to abolish slavery once and for all."

Legal

"The court abolished the outdated law."

From Old French abolir, from Latin abolēre (to annul, destroy), from ab- (away) + -olēre (to hurt, wound).

First used in English in the 15th century.

Memory tip

Imagine a bolt being shot through a system, destroying it entirely.

Word Origin

LanguageLatin
Original meaning

"to destroy, wipe out"

abolish slaveryabolish capital punishment

Common misspellings

ablishabollishabolishh

Usage

60%Spoken
40%Written