to officially end a practice or system, particularly one considered unfair
example
The company set up a committee to review its policies and abolish any practices that were outdated or unprogressive.
synonyms
endcancelterminateinvalidate
word origin — late Middle English: from Old French aboliss-, lengthened stem of abolir, from Latin abolere ‘destroy’
Advanced — Set 36
Set 36 of Advanced covers 5 words: abolish, contemplate, pursue, implement, foresee. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.
abolish · verb/əˈbɑlɪʃ/
to officially end a practice or system, particularly one considered unfair
The company set up a committee to review its policies and abolish any practices that were outdated or unprogressive.
Synonyms: end, cancel, terminate, invalidate
Origin: late Middle English: from Old French aboliss-, lengthened stem of abolir, from Latin abolere ‘destroy’
contemplate · verb/ˈkɑn(t)əmˌpleɪt/
think about something deeply
The prominent human rights advocate wrote about her long train voyage that gave her time to contemplate the meaning of her work in the world.
Synonyms: consider, ponder, reflect on, ruminate
Origin: late 16th century: from Latin contemplat- ‘surveyed, observed, contemplated’, from the verb contemplari, based on templum ‘place for observation’
pursue · verb/pərˈsu/
go after; follow
I applied to medical school because I had always wanted to pursue a career in pediatrics.
Synonyms: seek, strive for
Origin: Middle English (originally in the sense ‘follow with enmity’): from Anglo-Norman French pursuer, from an alteration of Latin prosequi ‘prosecute’
implement · verb/ˈɪmpləmənt/
perform, put into practice
Our IT support team works closely with businesses to help them effectively implement new technologies in the workplace.
Synonyms: carry out, execute, apply, put into effect
Origin: late Middle English (in the sense ‘article of furniture, equipment, or dress’): partly from medieval Latin implementa (plural), partly from late Latin implementum ‘filling up, fulfillment’, both from Latin implere ‘fill up’ (later ‘employ’), from in- ‘in’ + Latin plere ‘fill’. The verb dates from the early 18th century
foresee · verb/fɔrˈsi/
know that something will happen in the future
It is impossible to foresee all the possible consequences that the oil spill will have on the environment and wildlife of the area over the years to come.