Definitions for abstractæbˈstrækt, ˈæb strækt; ˈæb strækt; æbˈstrækt for 11-14 , ˈæb strækt for 15

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Random House Webster's College Dictionary

ab•stractæbˈstrækt, ˈæb strækt; ˈæb strækt; æbˈstrækt for 11-14 , ˈæb strækt for 15(adj.; n.; v.)

  1. thought of apart from concrete realities, specific objects, or actual instances:

    an abstract idea.

  2. expressing a quality or characteristic apart from any specific object or instance: an abstract word like justice.

  3. theoretical; not applied or practical.

  4. difficult to understand; abstruse.

  5. emphasizing line, color, and nonrepresentational form:

    abstract art.

    Category: Fine Arts

  6. (n.)a summary of a text, technical article, speech, etc.

  7. an abstract idea or term.

  8. an abstract work of art.

    Category: Fine Arts

  9. something that concentrates in itself the essential qualities of anything more extensive or more general.

  10. (v.t.)to draw or take away; remove.

  11. to divert or draw away the attention of.

  12. to steal.

  13. to consider as a general quality or characteristic apart from specific objects or instances.

  14. to make an abstract of; summarize.

Idioms for abstract:

  1. in the abstract, without reference to a specific object or instance; in theory.

    Category: Idiom

Origin of abstract:

1400–50; late ME: withdrawn from worldly interests < ML abstractus, L: ptp. of abstrahere to drag away, divert = abs- abs - + trahere to draw, pull; cf. tract1

ab•stract′ness(n.)

Princeton's WordNet

  1. abstraction, abstract(noun)

    a concept or idea not associated with any specific instance

    "he loved her only in the abstract--not in person"

  2. outline, synopsis, abstract, precis(adj)

    a sketchy summary of the main points of an argument or theory

  3. abstract(adj)

    existing only in the mind; separated from embodiment

    "abstract words like `truth' and `justice'"

  4. abstract, abstractionist, nonfigurative, nonobjective(adj)

    not representing or imitating external reality or the objects of nature

    "a large abstract painting"

  5. abstract(verb)

    dealing with a subject in the abstract without practical purpose or intention

    "abstract reasoning"; "abstract science"

  6. abstract(verb)

    consider a concept without thinking of a specific example; consider abstractly or theoretically

  7. pilfer, cabbage, purloin, pinch, abstract, snarf, swipe, hook, sneak, filch, nobble, lift(verb)

    make off with belongings of others

  8. abstract(verb)

    consider apart from a particular case or instance

    "Let's abstract away from this particular example"

  9. abstract(verb)

    give an abstract (of)

Kernerman English Learner's Dictionary

  1. abstract(adjective)æbˈstrækt, ˈæb strækt; n. ˈæb strækt; v. æbˈstrækt for 11-14, ˈæb strækt for 15

    ≠ concrete

    abstract concepts

  2. abstractæbˈstrækt, ˈæb strækt; n. ˈæb strækt; v. æbˈstrækt for 11-14, ˈæb strækt for 15

    relating to art where shapes and colors express emotions

    an abstract painting

  3. abstract(noun)æbˈstrækt, ˈæb strækt; n. ˈæb strækt; v. æbˈstrækt for 11-14, ˈæb strækt for 15

    a summary of an essay, report, etc.; = synopsis

    to write an abstract

Webster Dictionary

  1. Abstract(adj)

    withdraw; separate

  2. Abstract(adj)

    considered apart from any application to a particular object; separated from matter; existing in the mind only; as, abstract truth, abstract numbers. Hence: ideal; abstruse; difficult

  3. Abstract(adj)

    expressing a particular property of an object viewed apart from the other properties which constitute it; -- opposed to concrete; as, honesty is an abstract word

  4. Abstract(adj)

    resulting from the mental faculty of abstraction; general as opposed to particular; as, "reptile" is an abstract or general name

  5. Abstract(adj)

    abstracted; absent in mind

  6. Abstract(adj)

    to withdraw; to separate; to take away

  7. Abstract(adj)

    to draw off in respect to interest or attention; as, his was wholly abstracted by other objects

  8. Abstract(adj)

    to separate, as ideas, by the operation of the mind; to consider by itself; to contemplate separately, as a quality or attribute

  9. Abstract(adj)

    to epitomize; to abridge

  10. Abstract(adj)

    to take secretly or dishonestly; to purloin; as, to abstract goods from a parcel, or money from a till

  11. Abstract(adj)

    to separate, as the more volatile or soluble parts of a substance, by distillation or other chemical processes. In this sense extract is now more generally used

  12. Abstract(verb)

    to perform the process of abstraction

  13. Abstract(adj)

    that which comprises or concentrates in itself the essential qualities of a larger thing or of several things. Specifically: A summary or an epitome, as of a treatise or book, or of a statement; a brief

  14. Abstract(adj)

    a state of separation from other things; as, to consider a subject in the abstract, or apart from other associated things

  15. Abstract(adj)

    an abstract term

  16. Abstract(adj)

    a powdered solid extract of a vegetable substance mixed with sugar of milk in such proportion that one part of the abstract represents two parts of the original substance


Translations for abstract

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary

abstract(adjective)

(of a noun) referring to something which exists as an idea and which is not physically real

Truth, poverty and bravery are abstract nouns.

Get even more translations for abstract »


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