that takes place if a person’s assets are insufficient to settle with his creditors in

full.  2. (of legacies) The reduction or cancellation of legacies when the estate is

insufficient to cover all the legacies provided for in the will or on intestacy after

payment of the deceased’s debts. The Administration of Estates Act 1925 provides

that general legacies, unless given to satisfy a debt or for other consideration, abate

in proportion to the amounts of those legacies; specific and demonstrative legacies

then abate if the estate is still insufficient to pay all debts, and a demonstrative

legacy also abates if the specified fund is insufficient to cover it. For example, A’s

estate may comprise a painting, £300 in his savings account, and £700 in other

money; there are debts of £100 but his will leaves the painting to B, £500 from the

savings account to C. £800 to D, and £200 to E. B will receive the painting, C’s

demonstrative legacy abates to £300, and after the debts are paid from the

remaining £700, D’s and E’s general legacies abate proportionately, to £480 and £120

respectively. When annuities are given by the will, the general rule is that they are

valued at the date of the testator’s death, then abate proportionately in accordance

with that valuation, and each annuitant receives the abated sum. All these rules are

subject to any contrary intention being expressed in the will.    3. (in land law) Any

reduction or cancellation of money payable. For example a lease may provide for an

abatement of rent in certain circumstances, e.g. if the building is destroyed by fire,

and a purchaser of land may claim an abatement of the price if the seller can prove

his ownership of only part of the land he contracted to sell. 4. (of nuisances) The

termination, removal, or destruction of a *nuisance. A person injured by a nuisance

has a right to abate it. In doing so, he must not do more damage than is necessary

and, if removal of the nuisance requires entry on to the property from which it

emanates, he may have to give notice to the wrongdoer. A local authority can issue

an abatement notice to control statutory nuisances.  5. (of proceedings) The

termination of civil proceedings by operation of law, caused by a change of interest

or status (e.g. bankruptcy or death) of one of the parties after the start but before

the completion of the proceedings. An abatement did not prevent either of the

parties from bringing fresh proceedings in respect of the same cause of action. Pleas

in abatement have been abolished; in modern practice any change of interest or

status of the parties does not affect the validity of the proceedings, provided that

the cause of action survives.