abduct
[ ab-duhkt ]
/ æbˈdʌkt /
verb (used with object)
to carry off or lead away (a person) illegally and in secret or by force, especially to kidnap.
Physiology. to move or draw away from the axis of the body or limb (opposed to adduct).
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RELATED WORDS
Nearby words
- abducens,
- abducens nerve,
- abducens oculi,
- abducent,
- abducent nerve,
- abductee,
- abduction,
- abductor,
- abductor muscle of big toe,
- abductor muscle of little finger
Origin of abduct
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for abduct
abduct
/ (æbˈdʌkt) /
verb (tr)
to remove (a person) by force or cunning; kidnap
(of certain muscles) to pull (a leg, arm, etc) away from the median axis of the bodyCompare adduct
Word Origin for abduct
C19: from the past participle of Latin abdūcere to lead away
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
abduct
"to kidnap," 1834, probably a back-formation from abduction; cf. abduce. Related: Abducted; abducting.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
abduct
[ ăb-dŭkt′ ]
v.
To draw away from the midline of the body or from an adjacent part or limb.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.