Legal Definitions - abolish

To abolish something means to formally and completely put an end to it, often referring to a law, system, practice, or institution that has been in existence.

Here are some examples to illustrate this term:

• Imagine a country that has historically used a monarchy as its form of government. If the citizens vote to remove the royal family from power and establish a republic, they would be said to abolish the monarchy.

  This illustrates "abolish" because it signifies the complete and formal termination of a long-standing system of governance.

• Consider a university that has a tradition of requiring all first-year students to live in on-campus dormitories. If the university's board of trustees decides to eliminate this rule, allowing all students to live off-campus if they choose, they would abolish the mandatory on-campus residency policy.

  This example shows "abolish" in the context of ending a specific, established practice or rule within an institution.

• Suppose a state has a specific tax on sugary drinks, which has been in place for several years. If the state legislature votes to repeal this tax, meaning it will no longer be collected, they would abolish the sugary drink tax.

  Here, "abolish" refers to the formal cancellation and complete removal of an existing law or regulation.