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abject

adj
/ˈæbd͡ʒɛkt/UK/ˈæbˌd͡ʒɛkt/US/æbˈd͡ʒɛkt/US

Etymology

PIE word *h₂epó The adjective is derived from Late Middle English abiect, abject (adjective) [and other forms], from Middle French abject (modern French abject, abjet (obsolete)), and from its etymon Latin abiectus (“abandoned; cast aside”), an adjective use of the perfect passive participle of abiciō (“to discard, throw away”), from ab- (prefix meaning ‘away from’) + iaciō (“to throw”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(H)yeh₁- (“to throw”)). The noun is derived from the adjective. Cognates * Italian abiecto (obsolete), abietto * Late Latin abiectus (“humble or poor person”, noun) * Spanish abjecto (obsolete), abyecto

  1. derived from *(H)yeh₁-✻ — “to throw”
  2. derived from abiectus — “abandoned; cast aside”
  3. derived from abject
  4. inherited from abiect

Definitions

  1. Existing in or sunk to a low condition, position, or state

    Existing in or sunk to a low condition, position, or state; contemptible, despicable, miserable.

  2. Complete

    Complete; downright; utter.

    • abject failure   abject nonsense   abject terror

  3. Lower than nearby areas

    Lower than nearby areas; low-lying.

  4. ›+ 6 more definitions

    1. Of a person

      Of a person: cast down in hope or spirit; showing utter helplessness, hopelessness, or resignation; also, grovelling; ingratiating; servile.

      • Oh Noble Lord, bethinke thee of thy birth, / Call home thy ancient thoughts from baniſhment, / And baniſh hence theſe abiect lovvlie dreames: […]
      • O that I vvere a God, to ſhoot forth Thunder / Vpon theſe paltry, ſeruile, abiect Drudges: / Small things make baſe men proud.

    2. Marginalized as deviant.

      • The abject can easily be grafted onto the immigrant body, which is often conceived as something to be excluded in order to preserve a coherent yet racist national imaginary.
      • The disclosure of tolerance's hidden phobic lining fits in well with queer theory's embrace of the abject.

    3. A person in the lowest and most despicable condition

      A person in the lowest and most despicable condition; an oppressed person; an outcast; also, such people as a class.

      • Nevertheleſſe he thatt comfortith the abiecte⸝ comforted vs at the cõmynge of Titus.
      • VVe are the Queenes abiects and muſt obey.

    4. To cast off or out (someone or something)

      To cast off or out (someone or something); to reject, especially as contemptible or inferior.

      • […] Dauid durſt not touch Saul, though he vvas abiected by God.
      • Rather than abjecting her own fat body, the Ipecac-taking fat girl is abjecting diet culture.

    5. To cast down (someone or something)

      To cast down (someone or something); to abase; to debase; to degrade; to lower; also, to forcibly impose obedience or servitude upon (someone); to subjugate.

      • What phrases of abjecting themselves, in respect of the prince, can exceed David's humble expressing of himself to Saul?

    6. Of a fungus

      Of a fungus: to (forcibly) give off (spores or sporidia).

The neighborhood

Derived

abjectification, abjectify, abjectly, abjectness, nonabject, unabject, abjected, abjectedness

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for abject. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA