different between abject vs abhor

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?æb.d???kt/, enPR: ?b?j?kt
• (attributive): (US) IPA^(key): /?æb.d???kt/, enPR: ?b?j?kt
• (postpositive): (US) IPA^(key): /æb?d???kt/, enPR: ?bj?kt?
• Rhymes: -?kt

Etymology 1

From Middle English abiect (“outcast, wretched”), from Latin abiectus, past participle of abici? (“to throw away, cast off, to reject”), from ab- (“away”) +? iaci? (“to throw”).

Adjective

abject (comparative abjecter or more abject, superlative abjectest or most abject)

1. Sunk to or existing in a low condition, state, or position. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).]
2. Cast down in spirit or hope; degraded; servile; grovelling; despicable; lacking courage; offered in a humble and often ingratiating spirit. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).]
3. Showing utter hopelessness, helplessness; showing resignation; wretched. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).]
4. (obsolete) Rejected; cast aside. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the early 17^th century.]

Usage notes

• Nouns to which "abject" is often applied: poverty, fear, terror, submission, misery, failure, state, condition, apology, humility, servitude, manner, coward.

Synonyms

• beggarly, contemptible, cringing, degraded, groveling, ignoble, mean, mean-spirited, slavish, vile, worthless

Related terms

Translations

Noun

abject (plural abjects)

1. A person in the lowest and most despicable condition; a castaway; outcast. [from late 15h c.]

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English abjecten, derived from the adjective form.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /æb?d??kt/

Verb

abject (third-person singular simple present abjects, present participle abjecting, simple past and past participle abjected)

1. (transitive, obsolete) To cast off or out; to reject. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 17^th century.]
2. (transitive, obsolete) To cast down; hence, to abase; to degrade; to lower; to debase. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 17^th century.]
   • a. 1631, John Donne, a sermon

     What phrases of abjecting themselves, in respect of the prince, can exceed David's humble expressing of himself to Saul?

Related terms

Translations

References

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from French abject, from Latin abiectus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?b?j?kt/
• Hyphenation: ab?ject
• Rhymes: -?kt

Adjective

abject (comparative abjecter, superlative abjectst)

1. reprehensible, despicable, abject

Inflection

Derived terms

• abjectheid

French

Etymology

From Latin abiectus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ab.??kt/

Adjective

abject (feminine singular abjecte, masculine plural abjects, feminine plural abjectes)

1. (literary) Worthy of utmost contempt or disgust; vile; despicable.
2. (literary, obsolete) Of the lowest social position.

Usage notes

• Abject lacks the idea of groveling, of moral degradation over time that is present in the English word.

Derived terms

• abjectement

Related terms

• abjection

Descendants

• Norwegian Bokmål: abjekt
• ? Romanian: abject

Further reading

• “abject” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Romanian

Etymology

From French abject, from Latin abiectus.

Adjective

abject m or n (feminine singular abject?, masculine plural abjec?i, feminine and neuter plural abjecte)

1. abject

Declension

English

Etymology

First attested in 1449, from Middle English abhorren, borrowed from Middle French abhorrer, from Latin abhorre? (“shrink away from in horror”), from ab- (“from”) +? horre? (“stand aghast, bristle with fear”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?b?h??(?)/
• (US) IPA^(key): /æb?h??/, /?b?h??/
• Rhymes: -???

Verb

abhor (third-person singular simple present abhors, present participle abhorring, simple past and past participle abhorred)

1. (transitive) To regard (someone or something) as horrifying or detestable; to feel great repugnance toward. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).]

   Synonyms: detest, disdain, loathe

   • 1611, Romans 12:9, King James Bible:

     Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

2. (transitive, obsolete, impersonal) To fill with horror or disgust. [Attested from the mid 16^th century until the early 17^th century.]
   • c. 1604 William Shakespeare, Othello, act 4, scene 1:

     It does abhor me now I speak the word.

3. (transitive) To turn aside or avoid; to keep away from; to reject.
4. (transitive, canon law, obsolete) To protest against; to reject solemnly.
   • c. 1613 William Shakespeare, Henry VIII, act 2, scene 4:

     I utterly abhor, yea, from my soul Refuse you for my judge.

5. (intransitive, obsolete) To feel horror, disgust, or dislike (towards); to be contrary or averse (to); construed with from. [Attested from the mid 16^th century until the mid 17^th century.]
   • 1531, Thomas Elyot, The Boke named the Governour

     the daunce were to their honour and memorie, whiche moste of all abhored from Christes religion

   • c. 1644, John Milton, "The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce", Book II, Chap. 7.

     Either then the law by harmless and needful dispenses, which the gospel is now made to deny, must have anticipated and exceeded the grace of the gospel, or else must be found to have given politic and superficial graces without real pardon, saying in general, “do this and live,” and yet deceiving and damning underhand with unsound and hollow permissions; which is utterly abhorring from the end of all law, as hath been shewed.

6. (intransitive, obsolete) Differ entirely from. [Attested from the mid 16^th century until the late 17^th century.]

Conjugation

Synonyms

• (to regard as horrifying or detestable): See Thesaurus:hate

Related terms

Translations

References

• abhor in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• abhor in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• Bohra, Borah, broha