ABLATIVE (

See also:

• LAT

Lat. ablativus, sc. cases, from ablatum, taken away)  , in grammar, a case of the noun, the fundamental sense of which is direction from; in Latin, the principal language in which the case exists, this has been extended, with or without a preposition, to the instrument or agent of an act, and the place or time at, and manner in, which a thing is done . The case is also found in Sanskrit, Zend, Oscan and Umbrian, and traces remain in other languages . The "Ablative Absolute," a grammatical construction in Latin, consists of a noun in the ablative case, with a participle, attribute or qualifying word agreeing with it, not depending on any other part of the sentence, to express the time, occasion or circumstance of a fact .