abstract of title

Abstract \Ab"stract`\, n. [See {Abstract}, a.]
   1. 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.
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            An abstract of every treatise he had read. --Watts.
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            Man, the abstract
            Of all perfection, which the workmanship
            Of Heaven hath modeled.               --Ford.
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   2. A state of separation from other things; as, to consider a
      subject in the abstract, or apart from other associated
      things.
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   3. An abstract term.
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            The concretes "father" and "son" have, or might
            have, the abstracts "paternity" and "filiety." --J.
                                                  S. Mill.
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   4. (Med.) A powdered solid extract of a vegetable substance
      mixed with lactose in such proportion that one part of the
      abstract represents two parts of the original substance.
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   {Abstract of title} (Law), a document which provides a
      summary of the history of ownership of a parcel of real
      estate, including the conveyances and mortgages; also
      called {brief of title}.
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   Syn: Abridgment; compendium; epitome; synopsis. See
        {Abridgment}.
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