1. Reduction or Diminishment:
* Environmental Abatement: This is the most common use of the term. It refers to reducing or eliminating pollution or other harmful environmental impacts. Examples include:
* Air pollution abatement: Installing scrubbers on factories to reduce emissions.
* Noise abatement: Building sound barriers along highways.
* Water pollution abatement: Implementing wastewater treatment systems.
* Tax Abatement: This refers to a reduction in taxes, usually given as an incentive for businesses to invest in a particular area or to encourage specific activities.
* Nuisance Abatement: This refers to actions taken to stop a nuisance, such as loud noise, or to remove something that is dangerous or harmful.
2. Legal Abatement:
* This refers to a legal process where a court reduces or cancels a debt or claim. This can be done due to a variety of reasons, such as a debtor's inability to pay or a legal defense against the claim.
3. General Reduction or Elimination:
* Abatement of a fire: This refers to putting out the fire.
* Abatement of a disease: This refers to reducing or eliminating the spread of a disease.
To best define abatement, you need to consider the specific context in which it's being used.
For example, if you are talking about the "abatement of pollution," you're referring to reducing or eliminating pollution. If you are talking about the "abatement of a claim," you are referring to a legal process.