[ad. L. abortīv-us, f. abort-us: see ABORT and -IVE.]
A. adj.
† 1. Of or pertaining to abortion. a. Produced by abortion, born prematurely; also, derived from a still-born animal, as abortive parchment. Obs.
1394. P. Ploughm. Crede, 485. Fy on his pilche! He is but abortiif, Eked with cloutes.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., I. ii. 21. If euer he haue Childe, Abortiue be it.
1614. B. Rich, Honestie of this Age (1844), 6. These abortiue brates that are thus hastely brought into the world.
1663. Cowley, Verses & Ess. (1669), 3. Th’ abortive Issue never liv’d.
1664. Evelyn, Diary (1827), II. 217. A sort of paper very broad thin & fine like abortiue parchment.
† b. Causing abortion, rendering fruitless. Obs.
1611. Heywood, Gold. Age, V. i. (1874), 74. We but saue Our Innocent bodies from th’ abortiue graue.
1667. Milton, P. L., II. 441. With utter loss of being Threatens him, plunged in that abortive gulf.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v. Abortion, Roman authors speak of the poculum abortionis or abortive draught.
† c. Failing to produce offspring, miscarrying. Obs.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel. (1651), I. ii. I. iii. 55. Witches … make Women abortive not to conceive.
1662. R. Mathew, Unl. Alch., § 87. 121. It … then brought from her an abortive or false conception.
2. Failing of the intended effect, coming to nought; fruitless, useless, unsuccessful.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., IV. i. 60. Let it make thee Crest-falne, I, and alay this thy abortiue Pride.
1665. in Phil. Trans., I. 43. This also proved abortive, though there was great appearance of success at first.
1713. Addison, Cato, III. vii. Our first design, my friend, has prov’d abortive.
1778. Robertson, America, I. III. 213. Though this attempt proved abortive it was not without benefit.
1827. Scott, Surg. Dau., II. 35. Two slips of ground, half arable, half overrun with an abortive attempt at shrubbery.
1876. Freeman, Norm. Conq., II. ix. 420. He would rather have laboured to hinder Ealdred’s mission, or to make it abortive.
3. Biol. Arrested in development; defective, imperfect; sterile, barren.
1794. Martyn, trans. Rousseau’s Bot., x. 103. The florets … of the ray are imperfect, and therefore abortive or frustrate.
1834. Good, Bk. of Nat., I. 177. The thorns of plants are abortive branches.
1866. Livingstone, Journ. (1873), I. iii. 60. He had an abortive toe.
1879. De Quatrefages, Hum. Spec., 74. Datura seeds, which he observed to become abortive or devoid of embryo.
B. sb. [The adj. used absol.]
† 1. An abortive progeny; a still-born child; a calf or other young animal dropped prematurely. (Sometimes used derisively.)
a. 1300. Cursor Mundi, 22. 849. Þe childir þat es abortiues þaa þat er not born o-liues.
1382. Wyclif, Job iii. 16. Or as abortif hid I shulde not abide, or that conceyved seȝen not liȝt.
1413. Lydgate, Pylg. Sowle (1483), IV. xxiv. 70. Wherof seith the appostel seynt Powle that our lord had shewed hym self to hym as to an abortyue.
c. 1605. ? Rowley, Birth of Merlin, IV. i. 335. Bearded abortive, thou foretell my danger?
1634. Peacham, Gentlem. Exerc., I. xxv. 88/2. Take the fine skin of an Abortive which you may buy in Paternoster-row.
1760. T. W., Human Life, in Phil. Trans., LII. 48. From hence abortives and stilborn are included in the burials.
† b. A fine kind of vellum, being the skin of an abortive calf.
1519. W. Horman, Vulgaria, 80 b, § 9. That stouffe that we wrytte vpon … is somtyme called parchement, somtyme velem, somtyme abortyue.
† 2. An abortive delivery; a miscarriage.
1587. Ld. Mascal, Govern. of Cattle (Sheepe) (1627), 246. Also abortiues come when they giue them in some place nothing but akornes for their meate.
† 3. The fruitless, imperfect, or unsuccessful result of an endeavor.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit., I. 391. Yet giue me leave … to cast forth my conjecture (although it is an abortive) concerning this point.
1654. Fuller, Two Sermons, 75. Whether this will ever be really effected, whether it will prove an Abortive … Time will tell.
1706. De Foe, Jure Divino, IX. 209. It [the Work] scarce out-liv’d The hated Birth: The wild Abortive dy’d.
† 4. An abortive drug.
1647. Stapylton, Juvenal, 19. Whil’st with abortives the poore Julia marr’d Her fruitefull wombe.
