Hypertext Webster Gateway: "attrition"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Attrition \At*tri"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.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
attrition
n 1: erosion by friction [syn: {abrasion}, {corrasion}, {detrition}]
2: the wearing down of rock particles by friction due to water
or wind or ice [syn: {grinding}, {abrasion}, {detrition}]
3: sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation [syn: {contrition},
{contriteness}]
4: a wearing down to weaken or destroy; "a war of attrition"
5: the act of rubbing together; wearing something down by
friction
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