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• abs
  abs

  plural noun

  abdominal muscles.
• ABS
  ABS

  antilock braking system.
• abs-
  abs-

  variant of ab-.
• abs.
  abs.

  abbreviation

  absent.
• A.B.S.
  A.B.S.

  abbreviation

  American Bible Society.

abs

¹ American  

[abz] / æbz /

plural noun

Informal.

1. abdominal muscles.

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ABS ² American  

1. antilock braking system.

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abs- ³ American  

1. variant of ab-.

   absent; abscond.

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abs. ⁴ American  

abbreviation

1. absent.

2. absolute.

3. abstract.

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A.B.S. ⁵ American  

abbreviation

1. American Bible Society.

2. American Bureau of Shipping.

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ABS ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene: any of a range of tough copolymers used esp for making moulded articles

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abs ² British  

/ æbz /

plural noun

1. informal abdominal muscles

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Etymology

Origin of abs

An Americanism dating back to 1980–85; by shortening

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

abs ABS abs. A.B.S.

He didn’t exercise in public or show off his abs, and there is no record of him ever leading his troops in calisthenics or challenging his peers to a pull-up contest.

From Salon ● Oct. 24, 2026

It’s reality television-style performative sensitivity wrapped in six-pack abs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026

But others leapt to her defence, with one writing: "A lot of people in these comments have never seen a pregnant belly on someone who has abs."

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

I felt the effort in my abs for days afterward.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 15, 2026

He said fasting messed up his carefully balanced diet of simply grilled chicken breasts and staring at his abs in the mirror.

From "A Very Large Expanse of Sea" by Tahereh Mafi

The ABS challenge system to check balls and strikes—I really thought that would be a drag—became riveting theater.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

Yet he is so bad at ABS challenges that manager Dave Roberts forbade Pages from challenging pitches after his unsuccessful challenge in the NL Division Series opener Monday.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

The ABS Evo system uses a six-axis sensor to precisely optimize brake-force distribution under changing conditions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026

And an ABS review showed the fastball had clipped the top of the strike zone.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026

It was called an ABS, or asset-backed security.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

“It’s not about personalities or somebody’s abs. There’s no salaciousness about it, it is purely about the music.”

From The Guardian ● Nov. 17, 2016

But, in that case, we can perceive no reason why the Inf. abs. should be placed before the tempus finitum.

From Christology of the Old Testament: And a Commentary on the Messianic Predictions, Vol. 1 by Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg

Means, abl. of, 218; —— abl. abs. denoting, 227, 2; —— denoted by partic.,

From New Latin Grammar by Charles E. (Charles Edwin) Bennett

Thanks to the efforts of the A.B.S. and of private ranchers, North America is today home to some half a million bison, most of them in captivity.

From The New Yorker ● May 13, 2016

In 1907, the A.B.S. set out to reinvigorate the Bison bison bison population by sending fifteen Bronx-born bison, by train, to the Wichita Reserve Bison Refuge.

From The New Yorker ● May 13, 2016

Pumping out celebrity-inspired dresses isn't new for companies like A.B.S.,

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 30, 2011

"I thought it was going to be over the top, but it was more about simplicity and elegance," said Allen Schwartz, co-owner of A.B.S., which is known for pumping out copies of celebrity dresses.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 30, 2011

His version of the Old Testament, first published by the American Bible Society in 1875, has since been repeatedly issued by both the A.B.S. and the B.F.B.S.

From Some Jewish Witnesses For Christ by B.D.

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