abandonment

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The act of abandoning, or the state of being abandoned; absolute relinquishment; total desertion.
2. n. Abandon; enthusiasm; freedom from constraint.
3. n. In law: The relinquishment of a possession, privilege, or claim.
4. n. The voluntary leaving of a person to whom one is bound by a relationship of obligation, as a wife, husband, or child; desertion.
5. n. In maritime law, the surrender of a ship and freight by the owner to one who has become his creditor through contracts made by the latter with the master of the ship. In effect such an abandonment may release the owner from further responsibility.
6. n. In marine insurance, the relinquishing to underwriters of all the property saved from loss by shipwreck, capture, or other peril provided against in the policy, in order that the insured may be entitled to indemnification for a total loss.
7. n. In the customs, the giving up of an article by the importer to avoid payment of the duty.

Wiktionary

1. n. The voluntary leaving of a person to whom one is bound by a special relation, as a wife, husband or child; desertion.
2. n. The cessation of service on a particular segment of the lines of a common carrier, as granted by a government agency.
3. n. A refusal to receive freight so damaged in transit as to be worthless and render carrier liable for its value.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The act of abandoning, or the state of being abandoned; total desertion; relinquishment.
2. n. (Mar. Law) The relinquishment by the insured to the underwriters of what may remain of the property insured after a loss or damage by a peril insured against.
3. n. The relinquishment of a right, claim, or privilege, as to mill site, etc.
4. n. The voluntary leaving of a person to whom one is bound by a special relation, as a wife, husband, or child; desertion.
5. n. rare Careless freedom or ease; abandon.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. the voluntary surrender of property (or a right to property) without attempting to reclaim it or give it away
2. n. the act of giving something up
3. n. withdrawing support or help despite allegiance or responsibility