A，B，AND。。OR C。。。especially。。。（abandon ）
abandon
1 abandon abandons abandoning abandoned
If you abandon a place, thing, or person, you leave the place, thing, or person permanently or for a long time, especially when you should not do so.
He claimed that his parents had abandoned him.
The road is strewn with abandoned vehicles.
VB
* stay with
2 abandon abandons abandoning abandoned
If you abandon an activity or piece of work, you stop doing it before it is finished.
The authorities have abandoned any attempt to distribute food in an orderly fashion.
The scheme's investors, fearful of bankruptcy, decided to abandon the project.
VB
= give up * continue
3 abandon abandons abandoning abandoned
If you abandon an idea or way of thinking, you stop having that idea or thinking in that way.
Logic had prevailed and he had abandoned the idea.
VB
= give up
4 abandon abandons abandoning abandoned
If you abandon yourself to an emotion, you think about it a lot and feel it strongly, especially when other people might think you are wrong to do so.
We are scared to abandon ourselves to our feelings in case we seem weak or out of control.
VB
5 abandon
If you say that someone does something with abandon, you mean that they behave in a wild, uncontrolled way and do not think or care about how they should behave.
He has splashed dollars around with gay abandon.
Their permissiveness toward their children reflects the wild abandon of their own lives.
N-UNCOUNT: usu with N disapproval
6 abandon
If people abandon ship, they get off a ship because it is sinking.
The officers and crew prepared to abandon ship in an orderly fashion.
PHR: V inflects
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abnormal
abnormal
Someone or something that is abnormal is unusual, especially in a way that is worrying. (FORMAL)
...abnormal heart rhythms and high anxiety levels.
...a child with an abnormal fear of strangers.
ADJ-GRADED
?abnormally
...abnormally high levels of glucose...
This stops the cells from growing abnormally.
ADV: usu ADV adj/adv, also ADV with v
(c) HarperCollins Publishers.
abnormality
abnormality abnormalities
An abnormality in something, especially in a person's body or behaviour, is an unusual part or feature of it that may be worrying or dangerous. (FORMAL)
Further scans are required to confirm the diagnosis of an abnormality.
Genetic abnormalities are more often associated with faults in paternal DNA than in maternal DNA.
N-VAR
(c) HarperCollins Publishers.
absorb
1 absorb absorbs absorbing absorbed
If something absorbs a liquid, gas, or other substance, it soaks it up or takes it in.
Plants absorb carbon dioxide from the air and moisture from the soil.
Refined sugars are absorbed into the bloodstream very quickly.
VB
= soak up
2 absorb absorbs absorbing absorbed
If something absorbs light, heat, or another form of energy, it takes it in.
A household radiator absorbs energy in the form of electric current and releases it in the form of heat.
VB
3 absorb absorbs absorbing absorbed
If a group is absorbed into a larger group, it becomes part of the larger group.
The Colonial Office was absorbed into the Foreign Office.
...an economy capable of absorbing and supporting thousands of immigrants.
VB
4 absorb absorbs absorbing absorbed
If something absorbs a force or shock, it reduces its effect.
...footwear which does not absorb the impact of the foot striking the ground.
VB
5 absorb absorbs absorbing absorbed
If a system or society absorbs changes, effects, or costs, it is able to deal with them.
The banks would be forced to absorb large losses.
We can't absorb those costs.
VB
= cope with
6 absorb absorbs absorbing absorbed
If something absorbs something valuable such as money, space, or time, it uses up a great deal of it.
It absorbed vast amounts of capital that could have been used for investment.
It might help if campaigning didn't absorb so much time and money.
VB
= eat up
7 absorb absorbs absorbing absorbed
If you absorb information, you learn and understand it.
Too often he only absorbs half the information in the manual.
We closed our offices at 2:00 p.m. to give employees time to absorb the bad news.
VB
= digest, take in
8 absorb absorbs absorbing absorbed
If something absorbs you, it interests you a great deal and takes up all your attention and energy.
...a second career which absorbed her more completely than her acting ever had.
VB
= grip
See also absorbed, absorbing.
(c) HarperCollins Publishers.
