ATTRITION

attrition

(noun) the act of rubbing together; wearing something down by friction

attrition

(noun) a wearing down to weaken or destroy; “a war of attrition”

attrition, contrition, contriteness

(noun) sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation

grinding, abrasion, attrition, detrition

(noun) the wearing down of rock particles by friction due to water or wind or ice

abrasion, attrition, corrasion, detrition

(noun) erosion by friction

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Noun

attrition (countable and uncountable, plural attritions)

Wearing or grinding down by friction.

The gradual reduction in a tangible or intangible resource due to causes that are passive and do not involve productive use of the resource.

(human resources) A gradual, natural reduction in membership or personnel, as through retirement, resignation, or death.

(sciences) The loss of participants during an experiment.

(theology) Imperfect contrition or remorse.

(dentistry) The wearing of teeth due to their grinding.

(linguistics) The loss of a first or second language or a portion of that language.

Synonyms

• (employment reduction by natural causes): natural wastage

Antonyms

• accretion

Verb

attrition (third-person singular simple present attritions, present participle attritioning, simple past and past participle attritioned)

(transitive) To grind or wear down through friction.

Synonym: attrit

(transitive) To reduce the number of (jobs or workers) by not hiring new employees to fill positions that become vacant (often with out).

(intransitive) To undergo a reduction in number.

Anagrams

• titration

Source: Wiktionary

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At*tri"tion, n. Etym: [L. attritio: cf. F. attrition.]

1. The act of rubbing together; friction; the act of wearing by friction, or by rubbing substances together; abrasion. Effected by attrition of the inward stomach. Arbuthnot.

2. The state of being worn. Johnson.

3. (Theol.)

Definition: Grief for sin arising only from fear of punishment or feelings of shame. See Contrition. Wallis.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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