Associations to the word «Abortive»

Wiktionary

ABORTIVE, adjective. (obsolete) Produced by abortion; born prematurely. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the mid 18th century.]
ABORTIVE, adjective. Coming to naught; failing in its effect; miscarrying; fruitless; unsuccessful. [First attested in the late 16th century.]
ABORTIVE, adjective. (biology) Imperfectly formed or developed; rudimentary; sterile. [First attested in the mid 18th century.]
ABORTIVE, adjective. (medicine) (rare) (attributive) Causing abortion; abortifacient
ABORTIVE, adjective. (medicine) Cutting short; acting to halt or slow the progress (of a disease).
ABORTIVE, adjective. Made from the skin of a still-born animal.
ABORTIVE, noun. (obsolete) That which is born or brought forth prematurely; an abortion. [Attested from around (1150 to 1350) until the mid 18th century.]
ABORTIVE, noun. (obsolete) A fruitless effort or issue. [Attested from the early 17th century until the early 18th century.]
ABORTIVE, noun. (obsolete) A medicine to which is attributed the property of causing abortion, abortifacient.
ABORTIVE, verb. (transitive) (obsolete) To cause an abortion; to render without fruit. [Attested only in the 17th century.]

Dictionary definition

ABORTIVE, adjective. Failing to accomplish an intended result; "an abortive revolt"; "a stillborn plot to assassinate the President".

Wise words

The most important things are the hardest things to say. They are the things you get ashamed of because words diminish your feelings - words shrink things that seem timeless when they are in your head to no more than living size when they are brought out.
Stephen King