əˈbɔ:t v. & n. --v. 1 intr. a (of a woman)
undergo abortion;
miscarry. b (of a foetus)
suffer abortion. 2 tr. a
effect the abortion of (a foetus). b effect abortion in (a mother). 3 a tr.
cause to
end fruitlessly or prematurely;
stop in the
early stages. b intr. end unsuccessfully or prematurely. 4 a tr.
abandon or
terminate (a
space flight or
other technical project)
before its completion, usu.
because of a
fault. b intr. terminate or
fail to
complete such an
undertaking. 5 Biol. a intr. (of an organism)
remain undeveloped;
shrink away. b tr. cause to do
this. --n. 1 a prematurely terminated space flight or other undertaking. 2 the
termination of such an undertaking. [L aboriri miscarry (as
AB-, oriri ortbe born)]