traction

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: trac=tion

CIDE DICTIONARY

traction, n. [L. trahere, tractum, to draw: cf. F. traction.].

•  The act of drawing, or the state of being drawn; as, the traction of a muscle.  [1913 Webster]
•  Specifically, the act of drawing a body along a plane by motive power, as the drawing of a carriage by men or horses, the towing of a boat by a tug.  [1913 Webster]
•  Attraction; a drawing toward.  [1913 Webster]
•  The adhesive friction of a wheel on a rail, a rope on a pulley, or the like; as, the car is stuck in the snow because it can;t get any traction.  Knight.  [1913 Webster]

Angle of traction (Mech.), the angle made with a given plane by the line of direction in which a tractive force acts. -- Traction engine, a locomotive for drawing vehicles on highways or in the fields.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

traction, n.
1 the act of drawing or pulling a thing over a surface, esp. a road or track (steam traction).
2 a a sustained pulling on a limb, muscle, etc., by means of pulleys, weights, etc. b contraction, e.g. of a muscle.
3 the grip of a tyre on a road, a wheel on a rail, etc.
4 US the public transport service.

Idiom

traction-engine a steam or diesel engine for drawing heavy loads on roads, fields, etc. traction-wheel the driving-wheel of a locomotive etc.

Derivative

tractional adj. tractive adj.

Etymology

F traction or med.L tractio f. L trahere tract- draw

THESAURUS

traction

adduction, adhesion, advantage, affinity, allurement, attractance, attraction, attractiveness, attractivity, capillarity, capillary attraction, centripetal force, draft, drag, draw, drawing, drayage, extraction, foothold, footing, friction, gravitation, gravity, grip, haulage, hauling, heaving, hold, magnetism, mutual attraction, pull, pulling, pulling power, purchase, sympathy, toehold, towage, towing, tractive power, tug, tug-of-war, tugging

ROGET THESAURUS

traction

Transference

N transfer, transference, translocation, elocation, displacement, metastasis, metathesis, removal, remotion, amotion, relegation, deportation, asportation, extradition, conveyance, draft, carrying, carriage, convection, conduction, contagion, transfer, transit, transition, passage, ferry, gestation, portage, porterage, carting, cartage, shoveling, vection, vecture, vectitation, shipment, freight, wafture, transmission, transport, transportation, importation, exportation, transumption, transplantation, translation, shifting, dodging, dispersion, transposition, traction, drift, transferred, drifted, movable, portable, portative, mailable, contagious, from hand to hand, from pillar to post, on the way, by the way, on the road, on the wing, under way, in transit, on course, as one goes, in transitu, en route, chemin faisant, en passant, in mid progress, in mid course.

Traction

N traction, drawing, draught, pull, haul, rake, a long pull a strong pull and a pull all together, towage, haulage, drawing, tractile, tractive.