Word Study
abdication
CIDE DICTIONARY
abdication, n. [L. abdicatio: cf. F. abdication.].
The act of abdicating; the renunciation of a high office, dignity, or trust, by its holder; commonly the voluntary renunciation of sovereign power; as, abdication of the throne, government, power, authority. [1913 Webster]
DEVIL DICTIONARY
abdication
n. An act whereby a sovereign attests his sense of the high temperature of the throne.
Poor Isabella's Dead, whose abdication
Set all tongues wagging in the Spanish nation.
For that performance 'twere unfair to scold her:
She wisely left a throne too hot to hold her.
To History she'll be no royal riddle --
Merely a plain parched pea that jumped the griddle.
G.J.
THESAURUS
abdication
abjuration, abjurement, cession, demission, deposal, dropping out, emeritus status, forced resignation, forswearing, handing over, relinquishment, renouncement, renunciation, resignation, retiral, retirement, superannuation, surrender, voluntary resignation, waiver, withdrawal, withdrawing, yieldingROGET THESAURUS
abdication
Laxity
N laxity, laxness, looseness, slackness, toleration, freedom, anarchy, interregnum, relaxation, loosening, remission, dead letter, brutum fulmen, misrule, license, licentiousness, insubordination, lynch law, nihilism, reign of violence, dethronement, deposition, usurpation, abdication, lax, loose, slack, remiss, weak, relaxed, licensed, reinless, unbridled, anarchical, unauthorized, adespotic.Resignation
N resignation, retirement, abdication, renunciation, abjuration, abandonment, relinquishment, abdicant, Othello's occupation's gone.For further exploring for "abdication" in Webster Dictionary Online