1. Side by side, with breasts in a line; as, "Two men could hardly walk abreast." Macaulay.
2. (Naut.) Side by side; also, opposite; over against; on a line with the vessel's beam; — with of.
3. Up to a certain level or line; equally advanced; as, to keep abreast of [or with] the present state of
science.
4. At the same time; simultaneously. [Obs.]
Abreast therewith began a convocation.
Fuller.
Abregge
(A*breg"ge) v. t. See Abridge. [Obs.]
Abrenounce
(Ab`re*nounce") v. t. [L. abrenuntiare; ab + renuntiare. See Renounce.] To renounce.
[Obs.] "They abrenounce and cast them off." Latimer.
Abrenunciation
(Ab`re*nun`ci*a"tion) n. [LL. abrenuntiatio. See Abrenounce.] Absolute renunciation
or repudiation. [Obs.]
An abrenunciation of that truth which he so long had professed, and still believed.
Fuller.
Abreption
(Ab*rep"tion) n. [L. abreptus, p. p. of abripere to snatch away; ab + rapere to snatch.] A
snatching away. [Obs.]
Abreuvoir
(||A`breu`voir") n. [F., a watering place.] (Masonry) The joint or interstice between stones, to
be filled with mortar. Gwilt.
Abricock
(A"bri*cock) n. See Apricot. [Obs.]
Abridge
(A*bridge") v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abridged ; p. pr. & vb. n. Abridging.] [OE. abregen, OF.
abregier, F. abréger, fr. L. abbreviare; ad + brevis short. See Brief and cf. Abbreviate.]
1. To make shorter; to shorten in duration; to lessen; to diminish; to curtail; as, to abridge labor; to abridge
power or rights. "The bridegroom . . . abridged his visit." Smollett.
She retired herself to Sebaste, and abridged her train from state to necessity.
Fuller.
2. To shorten or contract by using fewer words, yet retaining the sense; to epitomize; to condense; as, to
abridge a history or dictionary.
3. To deprive; to cut off; — followed by of, and formerly by from; as, to abridge one of his rights.
Abridger
(A*bridg"er) n. One who abridges.
Abridgment
(A*bridg"ment) n. [OE. abregement. See Abridge.]
1. The act of abridging, or the state of being abridged; diminution; lessening; reduction or deprivation; as,
an abridgment of pleasures or of expenses.
2. An epitome or compend, as of a book; a shortened or abridged form; an abbreviation.
Ancient coins as abridgments of history.
Addison.
3. That which abridges or cuts short; hence, an entertainment that makes the time pass quickly. [Obs.]
What abridgment have you for this evening? What mask? What music?
Shak.
