Institution: AGRANI BANK LTD Exam: Agrani bank Ltd - Senior Officer - 12.08.2011
Topic: Pair of Word, Subject: English Grammar (ইংরেজি গ্রামার)

Best Answer Explained in Below-:

The word "abate" means to reduce in intensity, amount, or degree; it refers to the act of lessening or diminishing something. For example, in legal terms, abatement can relate to reducing the severity of a situation or condition. To find the opposite of "abate," we need a word that conveys the idea of raising or intensifying.

Among the options given:
- A) "praise" relates to expressing approval or admiration, which does not serve as an opposite to "abate."
- B) "grant" refers to giving or allowing something, but it does not imply a change in intensity or amount.
- C) "increase," on the other hand, is directly opposite to abate; it signifies the act of making something larger, greater, or more intense.
- D) "irritate" means to provoke or annoy but does not reflect the idea of intensity in the same measurable way as "increase."

Thus, "increase" (C) is the clear antonym to "abate," as it represents the action of augmenting or intensifying, contrasting starkly with the reduction implied by "abate."