AÏbor¶tiÏcide (#), n. [L. abortus + caedere to kill. See Abort.] (Med.) The act of destroying a fetus in the womb; feticide. AÏbor·tiÏfa¶cient (#), a. [L. abortus (see Abort, v.) + faciens, p. pr. of facere to make.] Producing miscarriage. Ð n. A drug or an agent that causes premature delivery. AÏbor¶tion (#), n. [L. abortio, fr. aboriri. See Abort.] 1. The act of giving premature birth; particularly, the expulsion of the human fetus prematurely, or before it is capable of sustaining life; miscarriage. µ Ii is sometimes used for the offense of procuring a premature delivery, but strictly the early delivery is the abortion, ½causing or procuring abortion¸ is the full name of the offense. Abbott.
2. The immature product of an untimely birth. 3. (Biol.) Arrest of development of any organ, so that it remains an imperfect formation or is absorbed. 4. Any fruit or produce that does not come to maturity, or anything which in its progress, before it is matured or perfect; a complete failure; as, his attempt. proved an abortiori. AÏbor¶tionÏal (#), a. Pertaining to abortion; miscarrying; abortive. Carlyle. AÏbor¶tionÏist, n. One who procures abortion or miscarriage. AÏbor¶tive (#), a. [L. abortivus, fr. aboriri. See Abort, v.] 1. Produced by abortion; born prematurely; as, an abortive child. [R.] 2. Made from the skin of a stillÏborn animal; as, abortive vellum. [Obs.] 3. Rendering fruitless or ineffectual. [Obs.] ½Plunged in that abortive gulf.¸ Milton. 4. Coming to naught; failing in its effect; miscarrying; fruitless; unsuccessful; as, an abortive attempt. ½An abortive enterprise.¸ Prescott. 5. (Biol.) Imperfectly formed or developed; rudimentary; sterile; as, an abortive organ, stamen, ovule, etc. 6. (Med.) (a) Causing abortion; as, abortive medicines. Parr. (b) Cutting short; as, abortive treatment of typhoid fever. AÏbor¶tive, n. 1. That which is born or brought forth prematurely; an abortion. [Obs.] Shak. 2. A fruitless effort or issue. [Obs.] 3. A medicine to which is attributed the property of causing abortion. Dunglison. AÏbor¶tiveÏly, adv. In an abortive or untimely manner; immaturely; fruitlessly. AÏbor¶tiveÏness, n. The quality of being abortive. AÏbort¶ment (#), n. Abortion. [Obs.] AÏbought¶ (#), imp. & p. p. of Aby. [Obs.] AÏbound¶ (#), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Abounded; p. pr. & vb. n. Abounding.] [OE. abounden, F. abonder, fr. L. abundare to overflow, abound; ab + unda wave. Cf. Undulate.] 1. To be in great plenty; to be very prevalent; to be plentiful. The wild boar which abounds in some parts of the continent of Europe. Chambers. Where sin abounded grace did much more abound. Rom. v. 20. 2. To be copiously supplied; Ð followed by in or with. To abound in, to posses in such abundance as to be characterized by. Ð To abound with, to be filled with; to possess in great numbers. Men abounding in natural courage. Macaulay. A faithful man shall abound with blessings. Prov. xxviii. 20. It abounds with cabinets of curiosities. Addison. AÏbout¶ (#), prep. [OE. aboute, abouten, abuten; AS. ¾butan, onbutan; on + butan, which is from be by + utan outward, from ut out. See But, Out.] 1. Around; all round; on every side of. ½Look about you.¸ Shak. ½Bind them about thy neck.¸ Prov. iii. 3. 2. In the immediate neighborhood of; in contiguity or proximity to; near, as to place; by or on (one's person). ½Have you much money about you?¸ Bulwer. 3. Over or upon different parts of; through or over in various directions; here and there in; to and fro in; throughout. Lampoons... were handed about the coffeehouses. Macaulay. Roving still about the world. Milton. 4. Near; not far from; Ð determining approximately time, size, quantity. ½ToÐmorrow, about this time.¸ Exod. ix. 18. ½About my stature.¸ Shak. He went out about the third hour. Matt. xx. 3. µ This use passes into the adverbial sense. 5. In concern with; engaged in; intent on. I must be about my Father's business. Luke ii. 49. 6. Before a verbal noun or an infinitive: On the point or verge of; going; in act of. Paul was now aboutto open his mouth. Acts xviii. 14. 7. Concerning; with regard to; on account of; touching. ½To treat about thy ransom.¸ Milton. She must have her way about Sarah. Trollope. AÏbout¶, adv. 1. On all sides; around. 'Tis time to look about. Shak. 2. In circuit; circularly; by a circuitous way; around the outside; as, a mile about, and a third of a mile across. 3. Here and there; around; in one place and another. Wandering about from house to house. 1 Tim. v. 13. 4. Nearly; approximately; with close correspondence, in quality, manner, degree, etc.; as, about as cold; about as high; Ð also of quantity, number, time. ½There fell... about three thousand men.¸ Exod. xxii. 28. 5.