abaturen.

1575 G. Gascoigne Noble Arte Venerie xvi. 68 Of the iudgement of the Abatures and beating downe of the lowe twigges and the foyles.

1630 J. Taylor Wks. i. 93 What Necromanticke spells are Rut, Vault, Slot, Pores, and Entryes, Abatures, and Foyles, Frayenstockes, Frith and Fell, Layres, Dewclawes, and Dowlcets, drawing the Covert, Blemishes, Jewelling, Avaunt-laye, Allaye, Relaye, Foreloyning, Huntcownter, Hunt-change, Quarry, Reward, and a thousand more such Utopian fragments of confused Gibberish.

1688 R. Holme Acad. Armory ii. ix. 187/1 Abatures, and Foyles; the Bucks beating down of low twigs and branches, with their Horns.

1728 E. Chambers Cycl. at Age The Huntsmen have several other Marks, whereby to know an old Hart without seeing him; as, the Slot, Entries, Abatures.

1823 ‘J. Bee’ Slang 1 Abatures, soiling; the sprigs and grass that a Stag thrusts down in passing out of, or into, cover.

1831 Metropolitan 1 222 There is yet a little of the standard classic amongst our own musicians, in despite of the abature occasioned amongst them by being over-run by the herd of foreign and very dear pretenders.

1969 A. Davidson Phoenix & Mirror vi. 65 The Count called the chief parker, and questioned him if he had checked and observed abatures where the stag had lain and pressed down the herbage.