ABJECT

abject

(adjective) showing humiliation or submissiveness; “an abject apology”

abject, low, low-down, miserable, scummy, scurvy

(adjective) of the most contemptible kind; “abject cowardice”; “a low stunt to pull”; “a low-down sneak”; “his miserable treatment of his family”; “You miserable skunk!”; “a scummy rabble”; “a scurvy trick”

abject

(adjective) most unfortunate or miserable; “the most abject slaves joined in the revolt”; “abject poverty”

abject, unhopeful

(adjective) showing utter resignation or hopelessness; “abject surrender”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology 1

Adjective

abject (comparative abjecter or more abject, superlative abjectest or most abject)

Sunk to or existing in a low condition, state, or position. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).]

Cast down in spirit or hope; degraded; servile; grovelling; despicable; lacking courage; offered in a humble and often ingratiating spirit. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).]

Showing utter hopelessness, helplessness; showing resignation; wretched. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).]

(obsolete) Rejected; cast aside. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the early 17^th century.]

Usage notes

• Nouns to which "abject" is often applied: poverty, fear, terror, submission, misery, failure, state, condition, apology, humility, servitude, manner, coward.

Synonyms

• beggarly, contemptible, cringing, degraded, groveling, ignoble, mean, mean-spirited, slavish, vile, worthless

Noun

abject (plural abjects)

A person in the lowest and most despicable condition; a castaway; outcast. [from late 15h c.]

Etymology 2

Verb

abject (third-person singular simple present abjects, present participle abjecting, simple past and past participle abjected)

(transitive, obsolete) To cast off or out; to reject. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 17^th century.]

(transitive, obsolete) To cast down; hence, to abase; to degrade; to lower; to debase. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 17^th century.]

Source: Wiktionary

Ab"ject, a. Etym: [L. abjectus, p. p. of abjicere to throw away; ab + jacere to throw. See Jet a shooting forth.]

1. Cast down; low-lying. [Obs.] From the safe shore their floating carcasses And broken chariot wheels; so thick bestrown Abject and lost lay these, covering the flood. Milton.

2. Sunk to a law condition; down in spirit or hope; degraded; servile; groveling; despicable; as, abject posture, fortune, thoughts. "Base and abject flatterers." Addison. "An abject liar." Macaulay. And banish hence these abject, lowly dreams. Shak.

Syn.

– Mean; groveling; cringing; mean-spirited; slavish; ignoble; worthless; vile; beggarly; contemptible; degraded.

Ab*ject", v. t. Etym: [From Abject, a.]

Definition: To cast off or down; hence, to abase; to degrade; to lower; to debase. [Obs.] Donne.

Ab"ject, n.

Definition: A person in the lowest and most despicable condition; a castaway. [Obs.] Shall these abjects, these victims, these outcasts, know any thing of pleasure I. Taylor.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition