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Glite Dictionary
abatable nuisance

abatable nuisance

8.2
A problem like loud noise that the law allows people to stop
  • noun
  • /əˈbeɪtəbl ˈnjuːsəns/
  • Jargon
translation icon : molestia reducible
  • The court ordered the property owner to remove the abatable nuisance affecting the neighborhood.

Examples

  • An abatable nuisance like excess noise can be legally addressed by local authorities.

  • Legal action may be taken if an abatable nuisance is not corrected in a timely manner.

  • This is an abatable nuisance.

  • The abatable nuisance must be addressed!

  • Excessive littering in the park is considered an abatable nuisance that the city can eliminate.

  • Residents reported the loud music as an abatable nuisance, prompting the authorities to take action.

  • The judge ruled that the unkempt yard constituted an abatable nuisance and ordered its cleanup.

Synonyms

nuisance
vsabatable nuisance
  • Formal
15 5.7

An act the law treats as harmful because it stops people using or enjoying property

is specifically removable or can be stopped under the law

Surface Forms

abatable nuisance singular
abatable nuisances plural

Morphology

abatable + nuisance

The meaning 'a nuisance that can be stopped, removed, or made harmless' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'abatable' (able to be reduced or eliminated) with 'nuisance' (a harmful or interfering condition). This is a regular adjective+noun compositional pattern common cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer the MWE's meaning despite its legalistic register.

Etymology

Abatable nuisance comes from the verb abate, which means 'to make less' or 'to stop', and nuisance, which means 'something annoying'. Imagine a loud machine you can turn off or remove; because it can be fixed, it is an abatable nuisance, so the law can order someone to remove or stop it.