abduction

¹ American  

[ab-duhk-shuhn] / æbˈdʌk ʃən /

noun

1. act of abducting.

2. the state of being abducted.

3. Law. the illegal carrying or enticing away of a person, especially by interfering with a relationship, such as the taking of a child from their parent.

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abduction ² American  

[ab-duhk-shuhn] / æbˈdʌk ʃən /

noun

Logic.

1. a syllogism whose major premise is certain but whose minor premise is probable.

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Etymology

Origin of abduction¹

First recorded in 1620–30; abduct + -ion

Origin of abduction²

First recorded in 1690–1700, abduction is from the New Latin word abductiōn- (stem of abductiō; translation of Greek apagōgḗ ). See abduct, -ion

Example Sentences

The video fills in a key gap in the timeline authorities have provided about the hours before and after Guthrie’s abduction.

From Los Angeles Times

Investigators again scoured the desert brush outside the Tucson home of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of “Today” anchor Savannah Guthrie, as officials were reviewing a new message that could be tied to her abduction.

From Los Angeles Times

The note has taken center stage as authorities are still frantically trying to find Nancy Guthrie, 84, five days after her apparent abduction from her Tucson-area home.

From Los Angeles Times

On 18 September, the night before Victoria's abduction, Doherty had been at the same club when she became separated from her friends and husband and decided to set off to where she was staying.

From BBC

But four days after her disappearance, he admitted detectives were no closer to finding who was responsible for the woman's abduction.

From Barron's

Related Words

• kidnapping
• rape
• seizure
• theft