Definition and Etymology of Abolish

1. Definition

What is, Concept or Meaning

v. Abolish is a verb that means to put an end to a custom, law, institution or practice. It is used to describe the act of officially ending or canceling something. The act of abolishing something implies that it will no longer be in effect and will not be able to be revived. It is a formal and definitive action. For example, “the government abolished the death penalty,” means that the death penalty is no longer legal and it cannot be brought back. “The company decided to abolish the dress code policy,” means that the dress code policy is no longer in effect and it cannot be enforced again.

2. Etymology

The word “abolish” comes from the Latin word “aboleo”, “abolere”, which means “destroy.” It is related to words such as “abolition” (the act of officially ending or canceling something) and “abolitionist” (a person who works to end a particular practice or institution).

3. History

The word “abolish” has been used in the English language since the 16th century. It has been used to describe the act of officially ending or canceling something. Throughout history, it has been used to refer to the abolition of various institutions such as slavery, the death penalty, and other forms of discrimination.

4. Examples of use

1. “The government abolished the death penalty.” This sentence uses “abolish” to indicate that the government has officially put an end to the death penalty, it is no longer legal and it cannot be brought back.
2. “The company decided to abolish the dress code policy.” This sentence uses “abolish” to indicate that the company has officially put an end to the dress code policy, it is no longer in effect and it cannot be enforced again.
3. “The country abolished the practice of child labor” This sentence uses “abolish” to indicate that the country has officially put an end to the practice of child labor, it is no longer legal and it cannot be brought back.
4. “The school board voted to abolish homework on weekends” This sentence uses “abolish” to indicate that the school board has officially put an end to the practice of assigning homework on weekends, it is no longer in effect and it cannot be enforced again.
5. “The new law abolished discrimination based on race” This sentence uses “abolish” to indicate that the new law has officially put an end to discrimination based on race, it is no longer legal and it cannot be brought back.

It is important to note that the word “abolish” implies a formal and definitive action, it is not the same as “suspend” or “pause”. When something is abolished, it is ended permanently and cannot be restored.

5. Uses and Applications

Abolish is mainly used to describe the act of officially ending or canceling something. It is often used in the context of laws, institutions, and practices that are considered unjust or harmful. It can be used in the legal, political, and social context. In some cases, it is used in a non-formal way in everyday conversations.

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