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)

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

1. Abstractadjective

   withdraw; separate

   Etymology: [See Abstract, a.]

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

   Etymology: [See Abstract, a.]

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

   Etymology: [See Abstract, a.]

4. Abstractadjective

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

   Etymology: [See Abstract, a.]

5. Abstractadjective

   abstracted; absent in mind

   Etymology: [See Abstract, a.]

6. Abstractadjective

   to withdraw; to separate; to take away

   Etymology: [See Abstract, a.]

7. Abstractadjective

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

   Etymology: [See Abstract, a.]

8. Abstractadjective

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

   Etymology: [See Abstract, a.]

9. Abstractadjective

   to epitomize; to abridge

   Etymology: [See Abstract, a.]

10. Abstractadjective

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

    Etymology: [See Abstract, a.]

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

    Etymology: [See Abstract, a.]

12. Abstractverb

    to perform the process of abstraction

    Etymology: [See Abstract, a.]

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

    Etymology: [See Abstract, a.]

14. Abstractadjective

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

    Etymology: [See Abstract, a.]

15. Abstractadjective

    an abstract term

    Etymology: [See Abstract, a.]

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

    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

   US English

   David

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   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   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. Peter Hotez:

   It was just open it up and then more or less business as usual, with a little bit of window dressing, this is not an abstract number of cases. Were seeing people pile into intensive care units.

2. Philip Haglund:

   Cash was the best way to teach financial literacy because it's so tangible and so easy to grasp, now money is being transferred through some kind of cyberspace, which is really abstract and hard for anyone to understand.

3. Art Markman:

   One big problem with making stress reduction your New Year's resolution is that it's so abstract, you can't just vow to relax without being more specific.

4. Jon Rappoport:

   Let's see socialism for what it is. Not in the abstract, but in reality. Socialism is: The taking of money (taxes) from some people who work for it and giving it to others who don't work for it. On a grand scale. The vast expansion of freebies doled out by central government. In order to create and sustain dependence. The government protection of favored persons and corporations, permitting them and aiding them to expand their fortunes without limit, regardless of what crimes they commit in the process. (Monsanto would be a fine example.) The squeezing out of those who would compete with the favored persons and corporations. The dictatorship by and for the very wealthy, pretending to be the servant of the masses. The lie that the dictatorship is being run by the masses. The gradual lowering of the standard of living for the overwhelming number of people. The propaganda claiming socialism is the path to a better world for all. In other words, socialism is a protection racket and a long con and a heartless system of elite control, posing as the greatest good. It is just another form of top-down tyranny as old as the hills.

5. James Scott:

   In this business, I find more value in working with hackers who abstract new realities from cast aside code and concepts than academics who regurgitate other people’s work and try to pawn it off as their own.

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