Definitions for abstract
æbˈstrækt, ˈæb strækt; ˈæb strækt; æbˈstrækt for 11-14 , ˈæb strækt for 15ab·stract

Princeton's WordNet(4.00 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. abstraction, abstractnoun

   a concept or idea not associated with any specific instance

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

2. outline, synopsis, abstract, precisadjective

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

3. abstractadjective

   existing only in the mind; separated from embodiment

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

4. abstract, abstractionist, nonfigurative, nonobjectiveadjective

   not representing or imitating external reality or the objects of nature

   "a large abstract painting"

5. abstractverb

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

   "abstract reasoning"; "abstract science"

6. abstractverb

   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, liftverb

   make off with belongings of others

8. abstractverb

   consider apart from a particular case or instance

   "Let's abstract away from this particular example"

9. abstractverb

   give an abstract (of)

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Abstractadjective

   Etymology: abstractus, Lat.

   1. Separated from something else, generally used with relation to mental perceptions; as, abstract mathematics, abstract terms, in opposition to concrete.

   Mathematics, in its latitude, is usually divided into pure and mixed. And though the pure do handle only abstract quantity in general, as geometry, arithmetic; yet that which is mixed, doth consider the quantity of some particular determinate subject. So astronomy handles the quantity of heavenly motions, music of sounds, and mechanics of weights and powers. John Wilkins, Mathematical Magick.

   Abstract terms signify the mode or quality of a being, without any regard to the subject in which it is; as, whiteness, roundness, length, breadth, wisdom, mortality, life, death. Isaac Watts, Logick.

   2. With the particle from.

   Another fruit from the considering things in themselves, abstract from our opinions and other mens notions and discourses on them, will be, that each man will pursue his thoughts in that method, which will be most agreeable to the nature of the thing, and to his apprehension of what it suggests to him. John Locke.

2. Abstractnoun

   Etymology: from the verb.

   1. A smaller quantity, containing the virtue or power of a greater.

   You shall there find a man, who is the abstract
   Of all faults all men follow. William Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra.

   If you are false, these epithets are small;
   You’re then the things, and abstract of them all. John Dryden, Aur.

   2. An epitome made by taking out the principal parts.

   When Mnemon came to the end of a chapter, he recollected the sentiments he had remarked; so that he could give a tolerable analysis and abstract of every treatise he had read, just after he had finished it. Isaac Watts, Improvement of the Mind.

   3. The state of being abstracted.

   The hearts of great princes, if they be considered, as it were in abstract, without the necessity of states, and circumstances of time, can take no full and proportional pleasure in the exercise of any narrow bounty. Henry Wotton.

3. To ABSTRACTverb

   Etymology: abstraho, Lat.

   1. To take one thing from another.

   Could we abstract from these pernicious effects, and suppose this were innocent, it would be too light to be matter of praise. Decay of Piety.

   2. To separate ideas.

   Those, who cannot distinguish, compare and abstract, would hardly be able to understand and make use of language, or judge or reason to any tolerable degree. John Locke.

   3. To reduce to an epitome.

   If we would fix in the memory the discourses we hear, or what we design to speak, let us abstract them into brief compends, and review them often. Isaac Watts, Improv. of the Mind.

Webster Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Abstractadjective

   withdraw; separate

2. Abstractadjective

   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. Abstractadjective

   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. Abstractadjective

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

5. Abstractadjective

   abstracted; absent in mind

6. Abstractadjective

   to withdraw; to separate; to take away

7. Abstractadjective

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

8. Abstractadjective

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

9. Abstractadjective

   to epitomize; to abridge

10. Abstractadjective

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

11. Abstractadjective

    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. Abstractverb

    to perform the process of abstraction

13. Abstractadjective

    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. Abstractadjective

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

15. Abstractadjective

    an abstract term

16. Abstractadjective

    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

17. Etymology: [See Abstract, a.]

Freebase(3.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Abstract

   An abstract is a brief summary of a research article, thesis, review, conference proceeding or any in-depth analysis of a particular subject or discipline, and is often used to help the reader quickly ascertain the paper's purpose. When used, an abstract always appears at the beginning of a manuscript or typescript, acting as the point-of-entry for any given academic paper or patent application. Abstracting and indexing services for various academic disciplines are aimed at compiling a body of literature for that particular subject. The terms précis or synopsis are used in some publications to refer to the same thing that other publications might call an "abstract". In management reports, an executive summary usually contains more information than the abstract does.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Abstract

   abs-trakt′, v.t. to draw away: to separate: to purloin.—adj. Abstract′ed, drawn off (with from): removed: absent in mind.—adv. Abstract′edly.—ns. Abstract′edness; Abstrac′tion, act of abstracting: state of being abstracted: absence of mind: the operation of the mind by which certain qualities or attributes of an object are considered apart from the rest: a purloining.—adj. Abstract′ive, having the power of abstracting.—n. anything abstractive: an abstract.—adv. Abs′tractly.—n. Abs′tractness. [L. abs, away from, trahĕre, tractum, to draw. See Trace.]

2. Abstract

   abs′trakt, adj. general, as opposed to particular or individual (the opposite of abstract is concrete—a red colour is an abstract notion, a red rose is a concrete notion; an abstract noun is the name of a quality apart from the thing, as redness).—n. summary: abridgment: essence. [L. abstractus, as if a quality common to a number of things were drawn away from the things and considered by itself.]

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. abstract

   A brief register of the warrant officer's stores, by which the supplies, expenses, and remains are duly balanced. An abstract log contains the most important subjects of a ship's log.

Matched Categories

1. • Concept
   • Consider
   • Steal
   • Summarize

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'abstract' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #4596

2. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'abstract' in Adjectives Frequency: #624

How to pronounce abstract?

1. Alex

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   David

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   Mark

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   Daniel

   British

   Libby

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   Mia

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   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

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   Oliver

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   South African

How to say abstract in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of abstract in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of abstract in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

Examples of abstract in a Sentence

1. Anonymous:

   A future with automation is the equivalent as the past with primitive technology. It is the abstract factor that will ruin the utmost ambitions of our families' generations. To combat this 'societal plague' is to combat laziness, similar to defending against our negative mentality.

2. Marc Ambinder:

   The' plan' was so much more powerful in the abstract than anything you could offer in the real world to counter it.

3. Henry Kissinger:

   The Vietnam War required us to emphasize the national interest rather than abstract principles. ... What President Nixon and I tried to do was unnatural. And that is why we didn't make it.

4. Arthur Schopenhauer:

   Money is human happiness in the abstract he, then, who is no longer capable of enjoying human happiness in the concrete devotes himself utterly to money.

5. Leland Stowe:

   An American will tinker with anything he can put his hands on. But how rarely can he be persuaded to tinker with an abstract idea.

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