[f. ABHORRENT a. after nouns from Fr. in -nce:—L. -ntia: see -NCE. Cf. also the rather earlier ABHORRENCY. By analogy abhorrence is strictly the action or fact of abhorring, and abhorrency the quality of being abhorrent; but in this as in other words which express a continuous action or lasting state of feeling, the distinction disappears, and after a period, during which the two forms were used synonymously, abhorrency was dropped, and abhorrence alone retained.]
1. The action of abhorring or shrinking from with horror; the feeling of detestation, repugnance, or utter dislike.
1660. R. Coke, Elem. Power & Subj., 64. By a general abhorrence, democracy hath been exploded upon the face of the earth for above 1700 years.
1680. Address to Chas. II., in Somers’s Tracts, I. 106. The Premises considered, We your Majesty’s Petitioners, out of a just Abhorrence of such a dangerous and pernicious Council [etc.].
1704. Ray, Creation, I. 83. Nature’s abhorrence of a Vacuity or empty space.
c. 1746. Hervey, Med. & Contemp. (1818), 75. The Prince of Peace rejects them with abhorrence.
1759. Robertson, Hist. Scotl., I. IV. 324. The Scots were held in abhorrence all over Europe.
1765. Tucker, Lt. of Nat., II. 659. Our abhorrences and tormenting passions, as well as the soothing, were designed for our benefit.
1809. W. Taylor, in Monthly Mag., XXVII. 458. A proof … of abhorrence against vice.
1860. Tyndall, Glaciers, I. § 19. 134. A wrench, for which I entertain considerable abhorrence.
1866. Kingsley, Hereward, xvii. 215. A woman’s instinctive abhorrence of wrong.
2. An expression of abhorrence; in Eng. Hist. specially applied to certain addresses presented to Charles II. (see quotation in prec. dated 1680).
1678. Marvell, Growth of Popery, Wks. 1875, IV. 305. The members of Parliament were under a penalty to take the oath, and make the declaration and abhorrence insuing.
1735–8. Ld. Bolingbroke, Dissn. upon Parties, 81. Their Brethren refused to sign an Abhorrence of this Invitation.
1740. North, Exam., III. vii. § 60. 548. A World of such Flowers went to the adorning these returns of the People’s Duty to the King, and scarce in any one of them the Word Abhor was wanted; which gave the Faction, in their Turn, Occasion to fall upon the Loyallists with that Term, in Manner as I shall shew; and thence the Addresses on this Occasion [anno 1680] were called Abhorrences.
3. The object of abhorrence; what excites repugnance and detestation.
1752. Young, The Brothers, V. i. Wks. 1757, II. 287. His father’s rebel! Brother’s murderer! Nature’s abhorrence, and—thy lawful Lord!
1783. Cowper, Letters, Nov. 23, Wks. 1876, 148. Politics are my abhorrence.
