abject

Adjective

abject (comparative abjecter or more abject, superlative abjectest or most abject)

1. Existing in or sunk to a low condition, position, or state; contemptible, despicable, miserable.
   • These whelpes of the first lytter of gentilitie, these exhalations, drawen vp to the heauen of honour from the dunghill of abiect fortune, haue long been on horsebacke to come riding to your diuellship; but, I know not how, lyke Saint George, they are alwaies mounted but neuer moue.1592, Thomas Nash[e], Pierce Penilesse His Supplication to the Deuill. […], London: […] [John Charlewood for] Richard Ihones, […], →OCLC
   • VVhen as thoſe fallovv Deere, and huge-hancht Stags that graz'd / Vpon her ſhaggy Heaths, the paſſenger amaz'd / To ſee their mighty Heards, vvith high-palmd heads to threat / The vvoods of o'regrovvne Oakes; as though they meant to ſet / Their hornes to th'others heights. / But novv, both thoſe...1612, Michael Drayton, “The Twelfth Song”, in [John Selden], editor, Poly-Olbion. Or A Chorographicall Description of Tracts, Riuers, Mountaines, Forests, and Other Parts of this Renowned Isle of...

   Synonyms:

   degraded, demiss, ignoble, mean, vile, wretched, worthless

   Antonyms:

   unabject

2. (broadly) Complete; downright; utter.
   • abject failure abject nonsense abject terror
   • Lord Howard of Escrick accused [John] Ayloffe of proposing to assassinate the Duke of York; but Lord Howard was an abject liar; and this story was not part of his original confession, but was added afterwards by way of supplement, and therefore deserves no credit whatever.1849, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter V, in The History of England from the Accession of James II, volume I, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC, footnote *, page 527

   Synonyms:

   out-and-out, unmitigated, frightful, absolute, prize, clean, arrant, categoric, categorical, complete

3. (broadly, rare) Lower than nearby areas; low-lying.
   • The Roots of this Plant [healing wolfsbane (Aconitum anthora)] increaſe abundantly, ſoon overrunning a large Piece of Ground, therefore ſhould be confin'd in ſome abject Part of the Garden, or planted under Trees, it being very hardy, and growing in almoſt every Soil or Situation.1733, Philip Miller, “ACONITUM, Wolf’s-bane”, in The Gardeners Dictionary: […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: […] C[harles] Rivington, […], →OCLC, column 1
4. Of a person: cast down in hope or spirit; showing utter helplessness, hopelessness, or resignation; also, grovelling; ingratiating; servile.
   • Oh Noble Lord, bethinke thee of thy birth, / Call home thy ancient thoughts from baniſhment, / And baniſh hence theſe abiect lovvlie dreames: […]c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
   • O that I vvere a God, to ſhoot forth Thunder / Vpon theſe paltry, ſeruile, abiect Drudges: / Small things make baſe men proud.c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […]...

   Synonyms:

   beggarly, cringing, slavish

   Antonyms:

   unabject

5. (noun-from-verb, usually) Marginalized as deviant.
   • The abject can easily be grafted onto the immigrant body, which is often conceived as something to be excluded in order to preserve a coherent yet racist national imaginary.2007, Sean Brayton, “MTV's Jackass: Transgression, Abjection and the Economy of White Masculinity”, in Journal of Gender Studies, volume 16, page 59
   • The disclosure of tolerance's hidden phobic lining fits in well with queer theory's embrace of the abject.2009, W. C. Harris, Queer Externalities: Hazardous Encounters in American Culture, SUNY Press, →ISBN, page 98

Noun

abject (plural abjects)

1. A person in the lowest and most despicable condition; an oppressed person; an outcast; also, such people as a class.
   • Nevertheleſſe he thatt comfortith the abiecte⸝ comforted vs at the cõmynge of Titus.1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, The Seconde Pistle off Paul the Apostle to the Corrinthyans vij:[6], folio ccxl, verso
   • VVe are the Queenes abiects and muſt obey.c. 1593 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The Tragedy of King Richard the Third. […] (First Quarto), London: […] Valentine Sims [and Peter Short] for Andrew Wise, […], published 1597, →OCLC...

   Synonyms:

   heanling, wretch

Verb

UK/æbˈd͡ʒɛkt/

abject (third-person singular simple present abjects, present participle abjecting, simple past and past participle abjected)

1. (archaic, transitive) To cast off or out (someone or something); to reject, especially as contemptible or inferior.
   • […] Dauid durſt not touch Saul, though he vvas abiected by God.1611, Iohn Speed [i.e., John Speed], “Elizabeth Queene of England, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. […]”, in The History of Great Britaine under the Conquests of yͤ Romans, Saxons...
   • Rather than abjecting her own fat body, the Ipecac-taking fat girl is abjecting diet culture.2001, Le’a Kent, “Fighting Abjection: Representing Fat Women”, in Jana Evans Braziel, Kathleen LeBesco, editors, Bodies out of Bounds: Fatness and Transgression, Berkeley; Los Angeles, Calif....
2. (archaic, transitive) To cast down (someone or something); to abase; to debase; to degrade; to lower; also, to forcibly impose obedience or servitude upon (someone); to subjugate.
   • What phrases of abjecting themselves, in respect of the prince, can exceed David's humble expressing of himself to Saul?a. 1632 (date written), John Donne, “Sermon IX. Preached on Candlemas Day.”, in Henry Alford, editor, The Works of John Donne, D.D., […], volume I, London: John W[illiam] Parker, […], published 1839...
3. (archaic, transitive) Of a fungus: to (forcibly) give off (spores or sporidia).