ppl. a. [f. ABANDON v. + -ED.]
1. Given up, relinquished, forsaken, cast off.
1477. Caxton, Jason, 916. I pray you that ye will haue regarde to myn offre abandonned.
1578. Geff. Fenton, Hist. Guicciardin (Contents). The Pope being abandoned of all hope, accordeth with the Imperials.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., V. iv. 202. I’ll stay to know at your abandon’d cave.
1704. Rowe, Ulysses, III. i. 1093. A poor, forlorn, abandon’d woman.
1820. Shelley, Prom. Unbd., I. i. 217. As rainy wind thro’ the abandoned gate Of a fallen palace.
1878. Lever, Jack Hunter, vii. 46. A waiting-maid in the abandoned finery of her mistress.
2. Self-given up to any influence or pursuit; devoted. Now always to things evil or opposed to reason.
1393. Gower, Conf., II. 1603 (I. 213). Which so ferforth was abandouned To Cristis feith.
1474. Caxton, The Chesse, 104. Lecherye corupted and apayred the corages of tho men that ben abandoned to the same delyte.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., I. iv. 19. If she be so abandoned to her sorrow.
1692. Bentley, Boyle Lect., i. 13. Abandon’d to a callousness and numbness of Soul.
1722. De Foe, Hist. Plague, 163. The people sat still … quite abandoned to despair.
1830. Scott, Demonol., Let. x. Profligate, worthless, sharking cheats, abandoned to vice.
3. Hence (without to): Given up unrestrainedly to evil influences; utterly bad, immoral, profligate. Of men and their actions.
1692. Prior, Ode in imit. Hor., III. 2. Where our abandon’d youth she sees Shipwreck’d in luxury, and lost in ease.
1705. Stanhope, Paraph., XI. 476. That treacherous Kiss of an abandoned Disciple.
1711. Steele, Spectator, VI. 1. Abandoned writings of men of wit.
1769. Junius Lett., xxxiv. 150. Have you a single friend … so shameless, so thoroughly abandoned, as to undertake your defence?
1834. Coleridge, Table Talk, 316. An abandoned woman who had been notoriously treacherous to us.
1880. Spalding, Eliz. Demonology, 39. The abandoned impudence of the man!
