abstract

abstract
I. adjective Etymology: Medieval Latin abstractus, from Latin, past participle of abstrahere to drag away, from abs-, ab- + trahere to pull, draw Date: 14th century 1. a. disassociated from any specific instance <
an abstract entity
>
b. difficult to understand ; abstruse <
abstract problems
>
c. insufficiently factual ; formal <
possessed only an abstract right
>
2. expressing a quality apart from an object <
the word poem is concrete, poetry is abstract
>
3. a. dealing with a subject in its abstract aspects ; theoretical <
abstract science
>
b. impersonal, detached <
the abstract compassion of a surgeon — Time
>
4. having only intrinsic form with little or no attempt at pictorial representation or narrative content <
abstract painting
>
abstractly adverbabstractness noun II. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Latin abstractus Date: 15th century 1. a summary of points (as of a writing) usually presented in skeletal form; also something that summarizes or concentrates the essentials of a larger thing or several things 2. an abstract thing or state 3. abstraction 4a III. Date: 1542 transitive verb 1. remove, separate 2. to consider apart from application to or association with a particular instance 3. to make an abstract of ; summarize 4. to draw away the attention of 5. steal, purloin intransitive verb to make an abstraction • abstractable adjectiveabstractor or abstracter noun

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • abstract — ab·stract / ab ˌstrakt/ n 1: a summary of a legal document 2: abstract of title ab·stract /ab strakt, ab ˌstrakt/ vt Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law …   Law dictionary

  • abstract — abstráct, ă I. adj. gândit în mod separat de ansamblul concret, real. ♢ în abstract = pe bază de deducţii logice; exprimat (prea) general, teoretic; (despre un proces de gândire) greu de înţeles; (mat.) număr abstract = număr căruia nu i se… …   Dicționar Român

  • Abstract — Ab stract (#; 277), a. [L. abstractus, p. p. of abstrahere to draw from, separate; ab, abs + trahere to draw. See {Trace}.] 1. Withdraw; separate. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] The more abstract . . . we are from the body. Norris. [1913 Webster] 2.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • abstract — adj Abstract, ideal, transcendent, transcendental are closely analogous rather than synonymous terms. The difference in meaning between abstract and ideal is not apparent when they are applied to things which are admirable in actuality as well as …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 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.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Abstract — (‘resumen’, en inglés) puede referirse a: Abstract (sumario): resumen de un artículo científico (en:Abstract (summary)). Abstract (derecho): resumen de un texto jurídico (en:Abstract (law)). Véase también Abstract Factory (patrón de diseño)… …   Wikipedia Español

  • abstract — ● abstract nom masculin (mot anglais) Résumé d un texte scientifique, d un article de revue. ● abstract (difficultés) nom masculin (mot anglais) Anglicisme Dans une publication savante, résumé d un article, souvent placé en tête de l article lui… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Abstract — may refer to: * Abstract (law) * Abstract (summary) * Abstract art * Abstract objectee also* Abstraction (disambiguation) …   Wikipedia

  • abstract — ab‧stract [ˈæbstrækt] noun [countable] a short written statement that contains the most important details of a longer piece of writing such as a newspaper article, a report, or a speech: • an abstract of the Chairman s speech to the shareholders… …   Financial and business terms

  • abstract — for adj. [, ab strakt′, ab′strakt΄; ] for n.1 & vt.4 [, ab′strakt΄; ] for n.2 [, ab′strakt΄, ab strakt′; ] for vt.1, 2, & 3 [, ab strakt′] adj. [< L abstractus, pp. of abstrahere, to draw from, separate < ab(s) , from + trahere, to DRAW] 1 …   English World dictionary

  • abstract — [adj] conceptual, theoretical abstruse, complex, deep, hypothetical, ideal, indefinite, intellectual, nonconcrete, philosophical, recondite, transcendent, transcendental, unreal; concept 582 Ant. actual, concrete, factual, material, objective,… …   New thesaurus

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