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abstractly
[adj. ab-strakt, ab-strakt; n. ab-strakt; v. ab-strakt for 10–13, ab-strakt for 14]
Origin
adjective
1.
thought of apart from concrete realities, specific objects, or actual instances: an abstract idea.
2.
3.
theoretical; not applied or practical: abstract science.
4.
difficult to understand; abstruse: abstract speculations.
5.
Fine Arts.
a.
of or pertaining to the formal aspect of art, emphasizing lines, colors, generalized or geometrical forms, etc., especially with reference to their relationship to one another.
b.
(often initial capital letter) pertaining to the nonrepresentational art styles of the 20th century.
noun
6.
a summary of a text, scientific article, document, speech, etc.; epitome.
7.
something that concentrates in itself the essential qualities of anything more extensive or more general, or of several things; essence.
8.
an idea or term considered apart from some material basis or object.
9.
an abstract work of art.
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Abstractly
is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
verb (used with object)
Idioms10.
to draw or take away; remove.
11.
to divert or draw away the attention of.
12.
to steal.
13.
to consider as a general quality or characteristic apart from specific objects or instances: to abstract the notions of time, space, and matter.
14.
to make an abstract of; summarize.
15.
abstract away from, to omit from consideration.
16.
in the abstract, without reference to a specific object or instance; in theory: beauty in the abstract.
Origin:
1400–50; late Middle English: withdrawn from worldly interests < Latin abstractus drawn off (past participle of abstrahere). See abs-, tract1
1400–50; late Middle English: withdrawn from worldly interests < Latin abstractus drawn off (past participle of abstrahere). See abs-, tract1
Related forms
ab·stract·er, noun
ab·stract·ly, adverb
ab·stract·ness, noun
non·ab·stract, adjective, noun
non·ab·stract·ly, adverb
EXPANDnon·ab·stract·ness, noun
o·ver·ab·stract, verb (used with object), adjective
pre·ab·stract, adjective
su·per·ab·stract, adjective
su·per·ab·stract·ly, adverb
su·per·ab·stract·ness, noun
COLLAPSE
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To abstractly
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
abstract
late 14c., from L. abstractus "drawn away," pp. of abstrahere, from ab(s)- "away" + trahere "draw" (see tract (1)). Meaning "withdrawn or separated from material objects or practical matters" is from 1550s; specifically in ref. to the fine arts, it dates from 1915; abstract
EXPANDexpressionism from 1952. The general noun sense of "a smaller quantity containing the virtue or power of a greater" [Johnson] is recorded from 1560s; meaning "summary of a document" is from 1520s. The verb is first recorded 1540s.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
abstract ab·stract (āb-strākt', āb'strākt')
adj.
Considered apart from concrete existence.
Not applied or practical; theoretical.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
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