Instead of leaving right away, Marge and Mack decided to wait until the storm abated before going on their hike.2. To suppress or to end a nuisance, act, or writ: Carl's neighbor finally abated the loud noise created by the music that was being played earlier in the evening.
3. Etymology: from Old French abattre, "to beat down"; from Latin ad-, "to" + battuere, "to beat".
Abate generally means "to lessen" or "to decrease" in some way, but it may also mean "to stop" or "to suppress". A storm, fever, and pain can abate; however, "interest declines". People abate a nuisance, terminate a controversy, suppress a rebellion, curtail or reduce production when there is a surplus.