(transitive & intransitive verb)
noun - abdication, abdicator
Spanish - abdicar
origin - mid 16th cent.: from Latin abdicate-'renounced', from the verb abdicar, from ab- 'away, from' + dicare 'declare'.
1. (of a monarch) renounce one's throne; renounce one's right, power, claim, in a formal manner; abdicate, renounce, resign are synonyms when they are used in the sense of to give up formally or definitely a position of trust, honour, or glory -abdicate is the precise word to use when that which is relinquished involves sovereign or inherent power: it is applied specifically to the act of a monarch who gives up his throne -but in extended use it may also be applied to any act involving surrender of an inherent dignity or claim to pre-eminence
[without object] in 1918 Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated as German emperor | [with object] Ferdinand abdicated the throne in favour of the emperor's brother
the father image of the chancellor casts a long and overpowering shadow of a people which has in the past abdicated its political thinking and social sovereignty to the paternalistic leader - Handler
Libya's Gaddafi opposition body trapped under the emperor to abdicate the city a critical situation - Free Paper
2. fail to fulfil or undertake (a responsibility or duty)
the government was accused of abdicating its responsibility
Renounce is often used in place of abdicate the king renounced his throne especially when sacrifice for a greater end is intentionally implied.
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