I.to retard or to check the growth of; hence, in a more extended sense, to destroy, efface, abolish; trop., to terminate, and, in the pass., to die, to decay (not before the Aug. period).
I. Lit.: “cuncta viri monumenta,” Verg. A. 4, 497: “deum aedes vetustate aut igni abolitae,” Tac. A. 2, 49; cf.: “corpus alicujus igni,” i. e. to burn, id. ib. 16, 6; so, “libros,” Plin. Ep. 7, 19, 6: “Homeri carmina,” Suet. Calig. 34 al.— In pass.: aboleri, to die (opp. nasci), Plin. 7, prooem. § 4.—Poet.: “viscera undis,” to remove the poisonous flesh by washing, Verg. G. 3, 560.—
II. Fig.: “dedecus armis,” Verg. A. 11, 789; cf.: “labem prioris ignominiae,” Tac. H. 3, 24: “memoriam,” Suet. Calig. 60; Verg. A. 1, 720: “magistratum alicui,” Liv. 3, 38, 7: “legem (= abrogare),” Quint. 1, 5, 29; cf. “decretum,” Suet. Claud. 6; “Galb. 23: crimen,” Dig. 48, 6, 2, § 10: “frumentationes,” Suet. Aug. 42: “vectigalia,” id. Ner. 10: “vim moremque asylorum,” id. Tib. 37 al.: “nonnulla ex antiquis caerimoniis paulatim abolita (= omissa, neglecta),” Suet. Aug. 31; cf.: “memoria nondum omnino abolita,” id. Gram. 24.