from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Abstract \Ab*stract"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Abstracted}; p. pr.
& vb. n. {Abstracting}.] [See {Abstract}, a.]
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1. To withdraw; to separate; to take away.
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He was incapable of forming any opinion or
resolution abstracted from his own prejudices. --Sir
W. Scott.
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2. To draw off in respect to interest or attention; as, his
was wholly abstracted by other objects.
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The young stranger had been abstracted and silent.
--Blackw. Mag.
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3. To separate, as ideas, by the operation of the mind; to
consider by itself; to contemplate separately, as a
quality or attribute. --Whately.
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4. To epitomize; to abridge. --Franklin.
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5. To take secretly or dishonestly; to purloin; as, to
abstract goods from a parcel, or money from a till.
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Von Rosen had quietly abstracted the bearing-reins
from the harness. --W. Black.
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6. (Chem.) 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.
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