attrition

at·tri·tion  (-trshn)

n.

1. A rubbing away or wearing down by friction.

2. A gradual diminution in number or strength because of constant stress.

3. A gradual, natural reduction in membership or personnel, as through retirement, resignation, or death.

4. Repentance for sin motivated by fear of punishment rather than by love of God.

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[Middle English attricioun, regret, breaking, from Old French attrition, abrasion, from Late Latin attrti, attrtin-, act of rubbing against, from Latin attrtus, past participle of atterere, to rub against : ad-, against; see ad- + terere, to rub; see ter-¹ in Indo-European roots.]

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at·trition·al adj.

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attrition

Noun

constant wearing down to weaken or destroy: a war of attrition [Latin atterere to weaken]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	attrition - erosion by friction corrasion, detrition, abrasion eating away, eroding, erosion, wearing, wearing away - (geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it)
	2.	attrition - the wearing down of rock particles by friction due to water or wind or ice detrition, grinding, abrasion rubbing, friction - the resistance encountered when one body is moved in contact with another
	3.	attrition - sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation contriteness, contrition regret, ruefulness, sorrow, rue - sadness associated with some wrong done or some disappointment; "he drank to drown his sorrows"; "he wrote a note expressing his regret"; "to his rue, the error cost him the game"
	4.	attrition - a wearing down to weaken or destroy; "a war of attrition" decrease, lessening, drop-off - a change downward; "there was a decrease in his temperature as the fever subsided"; "there was a sharp drop-off in sales"
	5.	attrition - the act of rubbing together; wearing something down by friction detrition, friction, rubbing - effort expended in moving one object over another with pressure

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attrition

noun wearing down, harrying, weakening, harassment, thinning out, attenuation, debilitation

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The reduction of the effectiveness of a force caused by loss of personnel and materiel.

Translations

attrition [əˈtrɪʃən] n war of attrition → guerra de agotamiento or desgaste

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attrition [əˈtrɪʃən] n war of attrition → guerre f d'usure

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attrition [əˈtrɪʃən] n war of attrition → Zermürbungskrieg m

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attrition [əˈtrɪʃən] n war of attrition → guerra di logoramento