in History, a title of honour used by the ancient inhabitants of Scotland, who called their nobles thanes, which in the old Saxon signifies king's ministers; and of these the higher rank were styled abthanes, and those of the lower underthanes. ABU and CANDU, a group of twelve islands in the southern division of the Indian Ocean, to the south of the Maldives, in Lat. 5. 6. S. and Long. 74. 23. E. They are rocky, but have good anchorage, under the shelter of a reef. There are no inhabitants, nor has any good water been found.