traction

[ trak-shuhn ]

noun

1. the adhesive friction of a body on some surface, as a wheel on a rail or a tire on a road.
2. the action of drawing a body, vehicle, train, or the like, along a surface, as a road, track, railroad, or waterway.
3. Medicine/Medical. the deliberate and prolonged pulling of a muscle, organ, or the like, as by weights, to correct dislocation, relieve pressure, etc.
4. transportation by means of railroads.
5. the act of drawing or pulling.
6. the state of being drawn.
7. the support or momentum needed to advance something or make it successful:

   Her proposal failed to gain traction among our board members.

8. attracting power or influence; attraction:

   The main character feels the traction of fate.

traction

/ ˈtræktɪv; ˈtrækʃən /

noun

1. the act of drawing or pulling, esp by motive power
2. the state of being drawn or pulled
3. med the application of a steady pull on a part during healing of a fractured or dislocated bone, using a system of weights and pulleys or splints
4. the adhesive friction between a wheel and a surface, as between a driving wheel of a motor vehicle and the road

traction

/ trăk′shən /

1. Static friction, as of a wheel on a track or a tire on a road.
2. See more at friction
3. A sustained pulling force applied mechanically to a part of the body by means of a weighted apparatus in order to correct the position of fractured or dislocated bones, especially of the arm, leg, or neck.

Derived Forms

• tractive, adjective
• ˈtractional, adjective

Other Words From

• traction·al adjective
• non·traction noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of traction¹

First recorded in 1605–15; from Medieval Latin tractiōn- (stem of tractiō ) “act of drawing,” equivalent to tract(us) (past participle of trahere “to draw, drag, pull”) + -iōn-; -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of traction¹

C17: from Medieval Latin tractiō , from Latin tractus dragged; see tractile

Example Sentences

When this metric shows growth, that means the app is getting more traction.

From Search Engine Watch

So, while you’re gaining traction, building SEO, and working your way to the top, you may need to take a different approach.

From Search Engine Watch

It’s an offering that’s predictably gained traction among middle-class and lower income earners who typically found access to credit through traditional banks out of reach.

From Quartz

Kershaw’s playoff struggles gained narrative traction, never mind that six of his eight outings over the three postseasons were quality starts, but the Dodgers asked more of him than a team with a quarter-billion-dollar budget had any business doing.

From FiveThirtyEight

It’ll take time and effort, but once you’re an authority, every other aspect of your marketing will gain more traction.

From Search Engine Watch

Sudan has been plagued by years of political instability, which has prevented tourism from gaining traction.

From The Daily Beast

Another dark horse, Tennessee Senator Al Gore, was finding little traction in his efforts to become a centrist alternative.

From The Daily Beast

He gained little traction as George W. Bush consumed all the political oxygen.

From The Daily Beast

At the very least, this line of attack should have been started last week to give it a chance to gain traction.

From The Daily Beast

The hashtag quickly gained traction (it was used more than 100,000 times on Twitter in the subsequent two days).

From The Daily Beast

Electric tramcars, in supersession of horse-traction, run through the city and suburbs since April 10, 1905.

From Project Gutenberg

Telephones are now in use in all large centres, and electric lighting and traction are far more widely used than in England.

From Project Gutenberg

"Uncle Randolph had ten thousand dollars' worth of traction company bonds," said Dick.

From Project Gutenberg

"We can make sure of that point by sending word to the traction company offices," answered Dick.

From Project Gutenberg

"That rascal Merrick, one of the two men who stole my uncle's traction company bonds," explained Dick.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• suction