attrition

at·tri·tion

 (ə-trĭsh′ən)

n.

1. A rubbing away or wearing down by friction.

2.

a. A gradual reduction in number or strength because of stress or military action.

b. A gradual reduction in personnel or membership because of resignation, retirement, or death, often viewed in contrast to reduction from layoffs.

3. Roman Catholic Church 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 attrītiō, attrītiōn-, act of rubbing against, from Latin attrītus, past participle of atterere, to rub against : ad-, against; see ad- + terere, to rub; see terə- in Indo-European roots.]

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at·tri′tion·al adj.

attrition

(əˈtrɪʃən)

n

1. the act of wearing away or the state of being worn away, as by friction

2. constant wearing down to weaken or destroy (often in the phrase war of attrition)

3. (Industrial Relations & HR Terms) Also called: natural wastage a decrease in the size of the workforce of an organization achieved by not replacing employees who retire or resign

4. (Physical Geography) geography the grinding down of rock particles by friction during transportation by water, wind, or ice. Compare abrasion³, corrasion

5. (Theology) theol sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation, esp as contrasted with contrition, which arises purely from love of God

[C14: from Late Latin attrītiō a rubbing against something, from Latin atterere to weaken, from terere to rub]

atˈtritional adj

attritive adj

at•tri•tion

(əˈtrɪʃ ən)

n.

1. a reduction or decrease in numbers, size, or strength.

2. a wearing down or weakening of resistance, esp. as a result of continuous pressure or harassment: a war of attrition.

3. a gradual reduction in work force as when workers retire and are not replaced.

4. the act of rubbing against something; friction.

5. a wearing down or away by friction; abrasion.

[1325–75; Middle English < Latin attrītiō friction]

at•tri′tion•al, adj.

at•tri′tive (əˈtraɪ tɪv) adj.

attrition

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

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

attrition

noun wearing down, harrying, weakening, harassment, thinning out, attenuation, debilitation a war of attrition against the government

attrition

noun

Theology. A feeling of regret for one's sins or misdeeds:

compunction, contriteness, contrition, penitence, penitency, remorse, remorsefulness, repentance, rue.

Translations

atrición

attritoattrizioneguerra di logoramentosnervamento

attrition

[əˈtrɪʃən] N

1. (= wearing away) → desgaste m
war of attrition → guerra f de desgaste

2. (Ind, Univ) → amortización f de puestos

attrition

[əˈtrɪʃ^ən] n
war of attrition → guerre f d'usure

attrition

n (lit, form) → Abrieb m, → Zerreibung f; (fig) → Zermürbung f; (Rel) → unvollkommene Reue, Attrition f (spec); war of attrition (Mil) → Zermürbungskrieg m

attrition

[əˈtrɪʃ/ən] n → usura (per attrito)
war of attrition → guerra di logoramento