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Webster 1913 Edition

Abrupt

Ab-rupt′

,
Adj.
[L.
abruptus
, p. p. of
abrumpere
to break off;
ab
+
rumpere
to break. See
Rupture
.]
1.
Broken off; very steep, or craggy, as rocks, precipices, banks; precipitous; steep;
as,
abrupt
places
.
“Tumbling through ricks abrupt,”
Thomson.
2.
Without notice to prepare the mind for the event; sudden; hasty; unceremonious.
“The cause of your abrupt departure.”
Shak.
3.
Having sudden transitions from one subject to another; unconnected.
The
abrupt
style, which hath many breaches.
B. Jonson.
4.
(Bot.)
Suddenly terminating, as if cut off.
Gray.
Syn. – Sudden; unexpected; hasty; rough; curt; unceremonious; rugged; blunt; disconnected; broken.

Ab-rupt′

,
Noun.
[L.
abruptum
.]
An abrupt place.
[Poetic]
“Over the vast abrupt.”
Milton.

Ab-rupt′

,
Verb.
T.
To tear off or asunder.
[Obs.]
“Till death abrupts them.”
Sir T. Browne.

Webster 1828 Edition

Abrupt

ABRUPT'

,
Adj.
[L. abruptus, from abrumpo, to break off, of ab and rumpo. See Rupture.]
1.
Literally, broken off, or broken short.
Hence,
2.
Steep, craggy; applied to rocks, precipices and the like.
3.
Figuratively, sudden; without notice to prepare the mind for the event; as an abrupt entrance and address.
4.
Unconnected; having sudden transitions from one subject to another; as an abrupt style.
5.
In botany, an abrupt pinnate leaf is one which has neither leaflet, nor entril at the end.

ABRUPT'

,
Noun.
A chasm or gulf with steep sides. 'Over the vast abrupt.' [This use of the word is infrequent.]

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