abound

abound
\ \ [14] Abound has no connection with bind or bound. Its Latin source means literally ‘overflow’, and its nearest relative among English words is water. Latin undāreflow’ derived from undawave’ (as in undulate), which has the same ultimate root as water. The addition of the prefix ab- ‘away’ created abundāre, literally ‘flow away’, hence ‘overflow’, and eventually ‘be plentiful’. The present participial stem of the Latin verb gave English abundant and abundance. In the 14th and 15th centuries it was erroneously thought that abound had some connection with have, and the spelling habound was consequently common.
\ \ Cf.INUNDATE, SURROUND, UNDULATE, WATER

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Abound — A*bound , v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Abounded}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Abounding}.] [OE. abounden, F. abonder, fr. L. abundare to overflow, abound; ab + unda wave. Cf. {Undulate}.] 1. To be in great plenty; to be very prevalent; to be plentiful. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • abound — can have as its subject things that are plentiful or (followed by in or with) the place where things are plentiful: • Mulberry trees abound in Oxford [note that in goes with Oxford, not abound!] Jan Morris, 1978 • A few years since this country… …   Modern English usage

  • abound — [ə bound′] vi. [ME abounden < OFr abonder < L abundare, to overflow < ab , away + undare, to rise in waves < unda, a wave: see WATER] 1. to be plentiful; exist in large numbers or amounts [tropical plants abound in the jungle] 2. to… …   English World dictionary

  • abound — (v.) early 14c., from O.Fr. abonder to abound, be abundant, come together in great numbers (12c.), from L. abundare overflow, run over, from L. ab off (see AB (Cf. ab )) + undare rise in a wave, from unda water, wave (see WATER (Cf …   Etymology dictionary

  • abound — abound; su·per·abound; …   English syllables

  • abound — ► VERB 1) exist in large numbers or amounts. 2) (abound in/with) have in large numbers or amounts. ORIGIN Latin abundare overflow …   English terms dictionary

  • abound — index increase, proliferate Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • abound — overflow, *teem, swarm Analogous words: predominate, preponderate (see corresponding adjectives at DOMINANT) Antonyms: fail, fall short Contrasted words: want, *lack, need, require: scant, skimp, scrimp (see corresponding adjectives at MEAGER) …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • abound — [v] exist in abundance be alive with, be all over the place*, be knee deep in*, be no end to*, be plentiful, be thick with*, be up to one’s ears in*, crawl with*, crowd, flourish, flow, have a full plate*, infest, overflow, proliferate, swarm,… …   New thesaurus

  • abound — a|bound [əˈbaund] v [Date: 1300 1400; : Old French; Origin: abonder, from [i]Latin abundare, from ab away + unda wave ] to exist in very large numbers ▪ Rumours abound as to the reasons for his resignation. ▪ Examples of this abound in her book.… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • abound — UK [əˈbaʊnd] / US verb [intransitive] Word forms abound : present tense I/you/we/they abound he/she/it abounds present participle abounding past tense abounded past participle abounded 1) to be present in large numbers or amounts Rumours abound… …   English dictionary

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