Abrade, v. a. Scrape, wear away, wear off, rub off.

Abrasion, n. Friction, attrition, rubbing, disintegration, confrication, wearing away, wearing off, rubbing off.

Abreast, ad. 1. Alongside, side by side.

2. Against, off, on a line with, opposite to.

Abridge, v. a. 1. Shorten (by compression), epitomize, condense, compress, make an abstract of.

2. Diminish, reduce, contract, curtail, lessen, abbreviate, retrench, cut down.

3. Deprive, dispossess, divest.

Abridger, n. Epitomizer, writer of an epitome.

Abridgment, n. 1. Shortening (by compression), contraction, diminution, reduction, abbreviation, curtailment, retrenchment.

2. Compendium, compend, epitome, summary, abstract, digest, synopsis, syllabus, breviary, brief, conspectus, outline, sum and substance.

3. Deprivation, dispossession.

Abroach, ad. 1. Broached, tapped, on tap.

2. A-going.

Abroad, ad. 1. Widely, at large.

2. Forth, out of the house, out of doors, in the open air.

3. Extensively, before the public.

4. Without (as opposed to within).

Abrogate, v. a. Annul, disannul, repeal, revoke, rescind, cancel, abolish, nullify, quash, vacate, invalidate, overrule, set aside, do away, make void.

Abrogation, n. Repeal, rescission, rescinding, abolition, annulment, annulling, revocation.

Abrupt, a. 1. Broken, cragged, craggy, rough, rugged.

2. Steep, precipitous.

3. Sudden, unexpected, unanticipated, precipitate, hasty, unseasonable, ill-timed, unlooked for.

4. Short, blunt, unceremonious, curt.

5. Inelegant (as style), stiff, cramped, harsh, disconnected, unconnected.

Abscess, n. Sore, ulcer, fester, imposthume, pustule, gathering, boil.

Abscond, v. n. 1. Withdraw, flee, fly, decamp, escape, elope, retreat, bolt, make off, steal away, slink away, slip away, run away, run off, sneak off, pack off, effect one's escape.

2. Hide, secrete one's self.

Absence, n. 1. Non-attendance, non-appearance.

2. Inattention, abstraction, preoccupation, distraction, revery, musing, brown study, absence of mind.

3. Want, deficiency, lack, default.

4. Privation, negation.

Absent, a. 1. Away, gone, not present.

2. Abstracted, preoccupied, inattentive, dreaming, musing, lost, napping, absent-minded, in a brown study.

Absent-minded, a. Abstracted, absent.

Absent one's self, Be not present, stay away.

Absolute, a. 1. Independent, unrestricted, unqualified, unlimited, unconditional, unconditioned, complete, perfect.

2. Despotic, arbitrary, tyrannical, tyrannous, imperious, imperative, authoritative, autocratic, dictatorial, irresponsible.

3. Positive, actual, real, veritable, determinate, decided, genuine, categorical, unequivocal, certain.

Absolutely, ad. 1. Completely, unconditionally, without limit.

2. Truly, actually, positively, indeed, really, in fact, in reality, in truth.

Absoluteness, n. 1. Despotism, absolutism.

2. Positiveness, reality, actuality.

Absolution, n. Acquittal, remission, discharge, release, liberation, deliverance, clearance, forgiveness, pardon, indulgence, justification.

Absolutism, n. Absoluteness, arbitrariness, despotism, tyranny, autocracy.

Absolutory, a. Clearing, acquitting, releasing, pardoning, forgiving, absolvatory.

Absolvatory, a. Absolutory.

Absolve, v. a. Acquit, clear, release, liberate, free, discharge, loose, deliver, exculpate, exonerate, excuse, forgive, pardon, justify, set free.

Absorb, v. a. 1. Imbibe, take in, take up, suck in, suck up, drink in.

2. Consume, exhaust, destroy, engorge, devour, engulf, swallow up.

3. Engross, engage, immerse, occupy, arrest, fix, rivet.

Absorbent, a. Absorbing, imbibing.

Absorption, n. 1. Absorbing.

2. Engrossment, occupation, engagement, immersion.

Abstain, v. n. Refrain, forbear, desist, deny one's self, hold or keep one's self back, stay one's hand, keep one's self from indulgence.

Abstemious, a. Abstinent (by habit), sober, moderate, habitually temperate, sparing in diet.

Abstemiousness, n. Temperance (as a habit), abstinence.