abstract

ab·stract  (b-strkt, bstrkt)

adj.

1. Considered apart from concrete existence: an abstract concept.

2. Not applied or practical; theoretical. See Synonyms at theoretical.

3. Difficult to understand; abstruse: abstract philosophical problems.

4. Thought of or stated without reference to a specific instance: abstract words like truth and justice.

5. Impersonal, as in attitude or views.

6. Having an intellectual and affective artistic content that depends solely on intrinsic form rather than on narrative content or pictorial representation: abstract painting and sculpture.

n. (bstrkt)

1. A statement summarizing the important points of a text.

2. Something abstract.

tr.v. (b-strkt) ab·stract·ed, ab·stract·ing, ab·stracts

1. To take away; remove.

2. To remove without permission; filch.

3. To consider (a quality, for example) without reference to a particular example or object.

4. (bstrkt) To summarize; epitomize.

5. To create artistic abstractions of (something else, such as a concrete object or another style): "The Bauhaus Functionalists were . . . busy unornamenting and abstracting modern architecture, painting and design" John Barth.

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[Middle English, from Latin abstractus, past participle of abstrahere, to draw away : abs-, ab-, away; see ab-¹ + trahere, to draw.]

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ab·stracter n.

ab·stractly adv.

ab·stractness n.

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abstract

Adjective

1. referring to ideas or qualities rather than material objects: an abstract noun

2. not applied or practical; theoretical: he was frustrated by the highly abstract mathematics being taught

3. of art in which the subject is represented by shapes and patterns rather than by a realistic likeness

Noun

1. a summary

2. an abstract painting or sculpture

3. an abstract word or idea

4. in the abstract without referring to specific circumstances

Verb

1. to summarize

2. to remove or extract [Latin abstractus drawn off]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	abstract - a concept or idea not associated with any specific instance; "he loved her only in the abstract--not in person" abstraction right - an abstract idea of that which is due to a person or governmental body by law or tradition or nature; "they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights"; "Certain rights can never be granted to the government but must be kept in the hands of the people"- Eleanor Roosevelt; "a right is not something that somebody gives you; it is something that nobody can take away" concept, conception, construct - an abstract or general idea inferred or derived from specific instances absolute - something that is conceived or that exists independently and not in relation to other things; something that does not depend on anything else and is beyond human control; something that is not relative; "no mortal being can influence the absolute" teacher - a personified abstraction that teaches; "books were his teachers"; "experience is a demanding teacher" thing - a special abstraction; "a thing of the spirit"; "things of the heart"
	2.	abstract - a sketchy summary of the main points of an argument or theory precis, synopsis, outline sum-up, summary - a brief statement that presents the main points in a concise form; "he gave a summary of the conclusions" brief - a condensed written summary or abstract apercu - a short synopsis epitome - a brief abstract (as of an article or book)
Verb	1.	abstract - consider a concept without thinking of a specific example; consider abstractly or theoretically consider, regard, view, reckon, see - deem to be; "She views this quite differently from me"; "I consider her to be shallow"; "I don't see the situation quite as negatively as you do"
	2.	abstract - make off with belongings of others cabbage, filch, pilfer, purloin, snarf, nobble, swipe, sneak, pinch, hook, lift steal - take without the owner's consent; "Someone stole my wallet on the train"; "This author stole entire paragraphs from my dissertation"
	3.	abstract - consider apart from a particular case or instance; "Let's abstract away from this particular example" look at, deal, consider, take - take into consideration for exemplifying purposes; "Take the case of China"; "Consider the following case"
	4.	abstract - give an abstract (of) sum up, summarize, summarise, resume - give a summary (of); "he summed up his results"; "I will now summarize"
Adj.	1.	abstract - existing only in the mind; separated from embodiment; "abstract words like `truth' and `justice'" nonrepresentational - of or relating to a style of art in which objects do not resemble those known in physical nature impalpable, intangible - incapable of being perceived by the senses especially the sense of touch; "the intangible constituent of energy"- James Jeans concrete - capable of being perceived by the senses; not abstract or imaginary; "concrete objects such as trees"
	2.	abstract - not representing or imitating external reality or the objects of nature; "a large abstract painting" abstractionist, nonfigurative, nonobjective nonrepresentational - of or relating to a style of art in which objects do not resemble those known in physical nature
	3.	abstract - dealing with a subject in the abstract without practical purpose or intention; "abstract reasoning"; "abstract science" theoretical - concerned with theories rather than their practical applications; "theoretical physics"

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abstract

adjective 1. theoretical, general, complex, academic, intellectual, subtle, profound, philosophical, speculative, unrealistic, conceptual, indefinite, deep, separate, occult, hypothetical, generalized, impractical, arcane, notional, abstruse, recondite, theoretic, conjectural, unpractical, nonconcrete << OPPOSITE actual

noun 2. summary, résumé, outline, extract, essence, summing-up, digest, epitome, rundown, condensation, compendium, synopsis, précis, recapitulation, review, abridgment << OPPOSITE expansion

verb 3. extract, draw, pull, remove, separate, withdraw, isolate, pull out, take out, take away, detach, dissociate, pluck out << OPPOSITE add

Translations

abstract [ˈæbstrækt] adj → abstracto

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abstract [ˈæbstrækt] adj → abstrait(e)

n (= summary) → résumé m

vt [æbˈstrækt] → extraire

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abstract [ˈæbstrækt] adj → abstrakt

n (summary) → Zusammenfassung f

vt to abstract sth (from) (summarize) → etw entnehmen (aus);

(remove) → etw entfernen (aus)

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abstract [ˈæbstrækt] adj → astratto/a

n (= summary) → riassunto

vt [æbˈstrækt] → estrarre