abort
abort definition
abort (ə bôrt′)
intransitive verb
- to give birth before the embryo or fetus is viable; have a miscarriage
- to fail to be completed
- Biol. to fail to develop; stay rudimentary
Etymology: L abortare < abortus, pp. of aboriri, to miscarry, pass away, orig., to set (as the sun) < ab-, from + oriri, to arise: see orient
transitive verb
- to end (a pregnancy) prematurely
- to cause (an embryo or fetus) to be expelled so as to end a pregnancy
- to cause to have an abortion
- to check (a disease) before fully developed
- ☆ to cut short (an action or operation of an aircraft, spacecraft, etc.), as because of some failure in the equipment
noun
a premature termination of a flight, mission, etc.
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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