abate

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to become less intense or to lessen in degree

   The storm finally began to abate toward morning.

Simplified etymology

Abate comes from Old French abattre, meaning “to fell,” which derives from Latin ad, meaning “to” or “at,” and batt(u)ere, meaning “to beat.” The related Middle English form abated meant “reduced” or “lessened.”

From Middle English abaten, from Old French abatre ('to beat down, fell'), from Vulgar Latin *abbattere, from Latin ad- ('to') + battuere ('to beat, strike').

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