verb no object

(of something perceived as hostile, threatening, or negative) become less intense or widespread:

〈嵐･雨･騒音などが〉弱まる(die down); 〈気持ちなどが〉静まる; 〈痛みなどが〉和らぐ; 〈波が〉なぐ.

e.g. the storm suddenly abated.

with object cause to become smaller or less intense:

…を減ずる, 弱める; 〈気持ちなど〉を静める

e.g. nothing abated his crusading zeal.

with object Law lessen, reduce, or remove (especially a nuisance):

〘法〙 〈令状〉を無効にする; 〈訴訟〉を中断［停止］させる; 〈妨害〉を取り除く.

e.g. this action would not have been sufficient to abate the odor nuisance.

Middle English (in the legal sense): from Old French abatre ‘to fell’, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + batre ‘to beat’ (from Latin battere, battuere ‘to beat’).