abstraction

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: ab=strac=tion

CIDE DICTIONARY

abstraction, n. [Cf. F. abstraction. See Abstract, a.].

•  The act of abstracting, separating, or withdrawing, or the state of being withdrawn; withdrawal.  [1913 Webster]

  "A wrongful abstraction of wealth from certain members of the community."  [1913 Webster]
•  The act process of leaving out of consideration one or more properties of a complex object so as to attend to others; analysis. Thus, when the mind considers the form of a tree by itself, or the color of the leaves as separate from their size or figure, the act is called abstraction. So, also, when it considers whiteness, softness, virtue, existence, as separate from any particular objects.  [1913 Webster]

  " Abstraction is necessary to classification, by which things are arranged in genera and species. We separate in idea the qualities of certain objects, which are of the same kind, from others which are different, in each, and arrange the objects having the same properties in a class, or collected body."  [1913 Webster]

  "Abstraction is no positive act: it is simply the negative of attention."  [1913 Webster]
•  An idea or notion of an abstract, or theoretical nature; as, to fight for mere abstractions.  [1913 Webster]
•  A separation from worldly objects; a recluse life; as, a hermit's abstraction.  [1913 Webster]
•  Absence or absorption of mind; inattention to present objects.  [1913 Webster]
•  The taking surreptitiously for one's own use part of the property of another; purloining.  [1913 Webster]
•  A separation of volatile parts by the act of distillation.  Nicholson.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

abstraction, n.
1 the act or an instance of abstracting or taking away.
2 a an abstract or visionary idea. b the formation of abstract ideas.
3 a abstract qualities (esp. in art). b an abstract work of art.
4 absent-mindedness.

Etymology

F abstraction or L abstractio (as ABSTRACT)

THESAURUS

abstraction

Walter Mitty, ablation, abrasion, absence of mind, absentmindedness, absorption, abstract, abstract idea, abstractedness, abulia, alienation, altarpiece, analysis, annexation, anxiety, anxiety equivalent, anxiety state, apathy, appropriation, bemusement, block print, boosting, bromide, brown study, castle-building, catatonic stupor, cliche, close study, collage, color print, commonplace, compulsion, concentration, contemplativeness, conversion, conveyance, copy, cyclorama, daub, daydream, daydreamer, daydreaming, deduction, deep thought, dejection, depression, depth of thought, detachment, diptych, disarticulation, disassociation, disconnectedness, disconnection, discontinuity, disengagement, disjointing, disjunction, dislocation, disunion, division, divorce, divorcement, doctrinairism, doctrinality, doctrinarity, dream, dreaming, elation, embezzlement, emotionalism, engraving, engrossment, erosion, euphoria, explanation, fantasy, fantasying, filching, fit of abstraction, folie du doute, fraud, fresco, general idea, generalization, generalized proposition, glittering generality, graft, hackneyed expression, hypochondria, hysteria, hysterics, icon, illumination, illustration, image, incoherence, indifference, insensibility, isolation, lethargy, liberation, lieu commun, lifting, likeness, locus communis, luxation, mania, melancholia, melancholy, mental distress, mere theory, miniature, montage, mooning, moonraking, mosaic, mural, muse, musefulness, musing, muted ecstasy, obsession, panorama, parting, partition, pathological indecisiveness, pensiveness, photograph, picture, pilferage, pilfering, pinching, pipe dream, pipe-dreaming, platitude, poaching, preoccupation, print, profound thought, psychalgia, psychomotor disturbance, purification, refinement, reflectiveness, removal, representation, reproduction, reverie, scrounging, segmentation, separation, separatism, shoplifting, snatching, sneak thievery, snitching, speculation, speculativeness, stained glass window, stargazing, stealage, stealing, stencil, still life, study, stupor, subdivision, subduction, sublation, subtraction, sweeping statement, swindle, swiping, tableau, taking away, tapestry, theft, theoretic, theoretical basis, theoretics, theoria, theoric, theorization, theory, thievery, thieving, thoughtfulness, tic, tired cliche, trance, triptych, truism, twitching, unresponsiveness, wall painting, wistfulness, withdrawal, woolgathering, zoning

ROGET THESAURUS

abstraction

Subtraction

N nonaddition, subtraction, subtraction, subduction, deduction, retrenchment, removal, withdrawal, ablation, sublation, abstraction, garbling mutilation, detruncation, amputation, abscission, excision, recision, curtailment, minuend, subtrahend, decrease, abrasion, subtracted, subtractive, in deduction, less, short of, minus, without, except, except for, excepting, with the exception of, barring, save, exclusive of, save and except, with a reservation, not counting, if one doesn't count.

Disjunction

N disjunction, disconnection, disunity, disunion, disassociation, disengagement, discontinuity, abjunction, cataclasm, inconnection, abstraction, abstractedness, isolation, insularity, insulation, oasis, island, separateness, severalty, disjecta membra, dispersion, apportionment, separation, parting, circumcision, detachment, segregation, divorce, sejunction, seposition, diduction, diremption, discerption, elision, caesura, break, fracture, division, subdivision, rupture, compartition, dismemberment, dislocation, luxation, severance, disseverance, scission, rescission, abscission, laceration, dilaceration, disruption, abruption, avulsion, divulsion, section, resection, cleavage, fission, partibility, separability, fissure, breach, rent, split, rift, crack, slit, incision, dissection anatomy, decomposition, cutting instrument, buzzsaw, circular saw, rip saw, separatist, disjoined, discontinuous, multipartite, abstract, disjunctive, secant, isolated, insular, separate, disparate, discrete, apart, asunder, far between, loose, free, unattached, unannexed, unassociated, unconnected, distinct, adrift, straggling, rift, reft, scissile, divisible, discerptible, partible, separable, separately, one by one, severally, apart, adrift, asunder, in twain, in the abstract, abstractedly.

Taking

N taking, reception, deglutition, appropriation, prehension, prensation, capture, caption, apprehension, deprehension, abreption, seizure, expropriation, abduction, ablation, subtraction, withdrawal, abstraction, ademption, adrolepsy, dispossession, deprivation, deprivement, bereavement, divestment, disherison, distraint, distress, sequestration, confiscation, eviction, rapacity, rapaciousness, extortion, vampirism, theft, resumption, reprise, reprisal, recovery, clutch, swoop, wrench, grip, haul, take, catch, scramble, taker, captor, subduction, taking, privative, prehensile, predaceous, predal, predatory, predatorial, lupine, rapacious, raptorial, ravenous, parasitic, bereft, at one fell swoop, give an inch and take an ell.

Stealing

N stealing, theft, thievery, latrociny, direption, abstraction, appropriation, plagiary, plagiarism, autoplagiarism, latrocinium, spoliation, plunder, pillage, sack, sackage, rapine, brigandage, foray, razzia, rape, depredation, raid, blackmail, piracy, privateering, buccaneering, license to plunder, letters of marque, letters of mark and reprisal, filibustering, filibusterism, burglary, housebreaking, badger game, robbery, highway robbery, hold-up, mugging, peculation, embezzlement, fraud, larceny, petty larceny, grand larceny, shoplifting, thievishness, rapacity, kleptomania, Alsatia, den of Cacus, den of thieves, blackmail, extortion, shakedown, Black Hand, thief, thieving, thievish, light-fingered, furacious, furtive, piratical, predaceous, predal, predatory, predatorial, raptorial, stolen, sic vos non vobis.

Inattention

N inattention, inconsideration, inconsiderateness, oversight, inadvertence, inadvertency, nonobservance, disregard, supineness, etourderie, want of thought, heedlessness, insouciance, abstraction, absence of mind, absorption of mind, preoccupation, distraction, reverie, brown study, deep musing, fit of abstraction, inattentive, unobservant, unmindful, heedless, unthinking, unheeding, undiscerning, inadvertent, mindless, regardless, respectless, listless, blind, deaf, bird-witted, hand over head, cursory, percursory, giddy-brained, scatter-brained, hare-brained, unreflective, unreflecting, ecervele, offhand, dizzy, muzzy, brainsick, giddy, giddy as a goose, wild, harum-scarum, rantipole, highflying, heedless, careless, inconsiderate, thoughtless, absent, abstracted, distrait, absentminded, lost, lost in thought, wrapped in thought, rapt, in the clouds, bemused, dreaming on other things, musing on other things, preoccupied, engrossed, daydreaming, in a reverie, off one's guard, napping, dreamy, caught napping, disconcerted, distracted, put out, inattentively, inadvertently, absent-mindedly, per incuriam, sub silentio, Int, stand at ease, stand easy!, the attention wanders, one's wits gone a woolgathering, one's wits gone a bird's nesting, it never entered into one's head, the mind running on other things, one's thoughts being elsewhere, had it been a bear it would have bitten you.