attrition : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: attrition	by the DICT Development Group
2 results for attrition
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
attrition n erosion by friction [syn: abrasion, attrition, corrasion, detrition] the wearing down of rock particles by friction due to water or wind or ice Synonym(s): grinding, abrasion, attrition, detrition sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation Synonym(s): attrition, contrition, contriteness a wearing down to weaken or destroy; "a war of attrition" the act of rubbing together; wearing something down by friction
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Attrition \Attri"tion\, n. [L. attritio: cf. F. attrition.] 1. The act of rubbing together; friction; the act of wearing by friction, or by rubbing substances together; abrasion. Effected by attrition* of the inward stomach. --Arbuthnot. 2. The state of being worn. --Johnson. 3. (Theol.) Grief for sin arising only from fear of punishment or feelings of shame. See {Contrition}. --Wallis.