1.   After discreet soundings, they prudently abandoned the idea, which would have involved a major encroachment upon judicial independence.

2.   Because of the fog they abandoned their idea of driving.

3.   The original proposal featured centre loading islands, but this idea was abandoned.

4.   With a sense of relief I abandoned my idea of escape.

5.   Logic had prevailed and he had abandoned the idea.

6.   In testimony and published accounts he had insisted that he had argued against the proposition of selling arms to Iran and had believed that the idea had been abandoned.

7.   It should start by abandoning the idea that watching the drama in Eastern Europe can be a spectator sport.

8.   Just after his emissary met Konstantin, a former Russian ambassador to Constantinople urged Nicholas to abandon the idea of international cooperation and present the Turks with an ultimatum.

9.   In view of the emergence of an unlikely alliance between reform-minded bureaucrats and provincial noblemen, the government abandoned the idea of running the countryside autocratically.