aban·don·ment n
1: the act of abandoning property or a right: as
a: relinquishment by an inventor of the right to enforce a patent see also dedication
b: an author's relinquishment to the public domain of his or her copyrighted work
c: relinquishment of a trademark established by a failure to use the trademark and an intention never to resume use
d: the act of an insured in surrendering all rights to damaged or lost property to an insurer as a total loss compare salvage 2b
e: relinquishment by a trustee in bankruptcy of interest in property in the bankruptcy estate often for a nominal sum
2: the act of abandoning a person: as
a: failure to have contact with a spouse that is intended to create a permanent separation
b: failure to communicate with or provide financial support for one's child over a period of time that shows a purpose to forgo parental duties and rights
3: the act of abandoning a contract
4 a: the act of abandoning a course of action (as a crime)
b: the affirmative defense (as recognized under the Model Penal Code) of voluntary withdrawal from the commission of a crime resulting from the actor's change of heart and not from intervening circumstances
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.