Abject, a.
Etymology: [L. abjectus, p. p. of abjicere to throw away; ab + jacere to throw. See Jet a shooting forth.]
1. Cast down; low-lying. [Obs.] From the safe shore their floating carcasses And broken chariot wheels; so thick bestrown Abject and lost lay these, covering the flood. Milton.
2. Sunk to a law condition; down in spirit or hope; degraded; servile; groveling; despicable; as, abject posture, fortune, thoughts. "Base and abject flatterers." Addison. "An abject liar." Macaulay. And banish hence these abject, lowly dreams. Shak.
Syn. -- Mean; groveling; cringing; mean-spirited; slavish; ignoble; worthless; vile; beggarly; contemptible; degraded.
2 other Webster entries under this spelling
Abject, v. t.
To cast off or down; hence, to abase; to degrade; to lower; to debase. [Obs.] Donne.
Abject, n.
A person in the lowest and most despicable condition; a castaway. [Obs.] Shall these abjects, these victims, these outcasts, know any thing of pleasure I. Taylor.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for abject; he lists it under pitiful.
He lists it without comment; the entries above explain its neighbors.