abhor

First attested in 1449, from Middle English abhorren, borrowed from Middle French abhorrer, from Latin abhorreō (“shrink away from in horror”), from ab- (“from”) +‎ horreō (“stand aghast, bristle with fear”).[1]

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /əbˈhɔː(ɹ)/
• (US) IPA^(key): /æbˈhɔɹ/, /əbˈhɔɹ/

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• Rhymes: -ɔːɹ

abhor (third-person singular simple present abhors, present participle abhorring, simple past and past participle abhorred)

1. (transitive) To regard with horror or detestation; to shrink back with shuddering from; to feel excessive repugnance toward; to detest to extremity; to loathe. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).][2]
   • 1611, Romans 12:9, King James Bible:

     Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

2. (transitive, obsolete, impersonal) To fill with horror or disgust. [Attested from the mid 16^th century until the early 17^th century.][2]
   • c. 1604 William Shakespeare, Othello, act 4, scene 1:

     It does abhor me now I speak the word.

3. (transitive) To turn aside or avoid; to keep away from; to reject.
4. (transitive, canon law, obsolete) To protest against; to reject solemnly.
   • c. 1613 William Shakespeare, Henry VIII, act 2, scene 4:

     I utterly abhor, yea, from my soul Refuse you for my judge.

5. (intransitive, obsolete) To shrink back with horror, disgust, or dislike; to be contrary or averse; construed with from. [Attested from the mid 16^th century until the mid 17^th century.][2]
   • (Can we find and add a quotation of Nicholas Udall to this entry?):

     To abhor from those vices.

   • c. 1644, John Milton, "The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce", Book II, Chap. 7.

     Either then the law by harmless and needful dispenses, which the gospel is now made to deny, must have anticipated and exceeded the grace of the gospel, or else must be found to have given politic and superficial graces without real pardon, saying in general, “do this and live,” and yet deceiving and damning underhand with unsound and hollow permissions; which is utterly abhorring from the end of all law, as hath been shewed.

6. (intransitive, obsolete) Differ entirely from. [Attested from the mid 16^th century until the late 17^th century.][2]

• (to regard with horror or detestation): See Thesaurus:hate

• abhor in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• abhor in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

• Bohra, Borah, broha