Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Abstract \Ab"stract`\ (#; 277), a. [L. abstractus, p. p. of
   abstrahere to draw from, separate; ab, abs + trahere to draw.
   See {Trace}.]
   1. Withdraw; separate. [Obs.]

            The more abstract . . . we are from the body.
                                                  --Norris.

   2. Considered apart from any application to a particular
      object; separated from matter; existing in the mind only;
      as, abstract truth, abstract numbers. Hence: ideal;
      abstruse; difficult.

   3. (Logic)
      (a) Expressing a particular property of an object viewed
          apart from the other properties which constitute it;
          -- opposed to {concrete}; as, honesty is an abstract
          word. --J. S. Mill.
      (b) Resulting from the mental faculty of abstraction;
          general as opposed to particular; as, ``reptile'' is
          an abstract or general name. --Locke.

                A concrete name is a name which stands for a
                thing; an abstract name which stands for an
                attribute of a thing. A practice has grown up in
                more modern times, which, if not introduced by
                Locke, has gained currency from his example, of
                applying the expression ``abstract name'' to all
                names which are the result of abstraction and
                generalization, and consequently to all general
                names, instead of confining it to the names of
                attributes.                       --J. S. Mill.

   4. Abstracted; absent in mind. ``Abstract, as in a trance.''
      --Milton.

   {An abstract idea} (Metaph.), an idea separated from a
      complex object, or from other ideas which naturally
      accompany it; as the solidity of marble when contemplated
      apart from its color or figure.

   {Abstract terms}, those which express abstract ideas, as
      beauty, whiteness, roundness, without regarding any object
      in which they exist; or abstract terms are the names of
      orders, genera or species of things, in which there is a
      combination of similar qualities.

   {Abstract numbers} (Math.), numbers used without application
      to things, as 6, 8, 10; but when applied to any thing, as
      6 feet, 10 men, they become concrete.

   {Abstract} or {Pure mathematics}. See {Mathematics}.

Abstract \Ab"stract`\ (#; 277), a. [L. abstractus, p. p. of
   abstrahere to draw from, separate; ab, abs + trahere to draw.
   See {Trace}.]
   1. Withdraw; separate. [Obs.]

            The more abstract . . . we are from the body.
                                                  --Norris.

   2. Considered apart from any application to a particular
      object; separated from matter; existing in the mind only;
      as, abstract truth, abstract numbers. Hence: ideal;
      abstruse; difficult.

   3. (Logic)
      (a) Expressing a particular property of an object viewed
          apart from the other properties which constitute it;
          -- opposed to {concrete}; as, honesty is an abstract
          word. --J. S. Mill.
      (b) Resulting from the mental faculty of abstraction;
          general as opposed to particular; as, ``reptile'' is
          an abstract or general name. --Locke.

                A concrete name is a name which stands for a
                thing; an abstract name which stands for an
                attribute of a thing. A practice has grown up in
                more modern times, which, if not introduced by
                Locke, has gained currency from his example, of
                applying the expression ``abstract name'' to all
                names which are the result of abstraction and
                generalization, and consequently to all general
                names, instead of confining it to the names of
                attributes.                       --J. S. Mill.

   4. Abstracted; absent in mind. ``Abstract, as in a trance.''
      --Milton.

   {An abstract idea} (Metaph.), an idea separated from a
      complex object, or from other ideas which naturally
      accompany it; as the solidity of marble when contemplated
      apart from its color or figure.

   {Abstract terms}, those which express abstract ideas, as
      beauty, whiteness, roundness, without regarding any object
      in which they exist; or abstract terms are the names of
      orders, genera or species of things, in which there is a
      combination of similar qualities.

   {Abstract numbers} (Math.), numbers used without application
      to things, as 6, 8, 10; but when applied to any thing, as
      6 feet, 10 men, they become concrete.

   {Abstract} or {Pure mathematics}. See {Mathematics}.

Abstract \Ab*stract"\, v. t.
   To perform the process of abstraction. [R.]

         I own myself able to abstract in one sense. --Berkeley.

Abstract \Ab"stract`\, n. [See {Abstract}, a.]
   1. That which comprises or concentrates in itself the
      essential qualities of a larger thing or of several
      things. Specifically: A summary or an epitome, as of a
      treatise or book, or of a statement; a brief.

            An abstract of every treatise he had read. --Watts.

            Man, the abstract Of all perfection, which the
            workmanship Of Heaven hath modeled.   --Ford.

   2. A state of separation from other things; as, to consider a
      subject in the abstract, or apart from other associated
      things.

   3. An abstract term.

            The concretes ``father'' and ``son'' have, or might
            have, the abstracts ``paternity'' and ``filiety.''
                                                  --J. S. Mill.

   4. (Med.) A powdered solid extract of a vegetable substance
      mixed with sugar of milk in such proportion that one part
      of the abstract represents two parts of the original
      substance.

   {Abstract of title} (Law), an epitome of the evidences of
      ownership.

   Syn: Abridgment; compendium; epitome; synopsis. See
        {Abridgment}.

Abstract \Ab*stract"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Abstracted}; p. pr.
   & vb. n. {Abstracting}.] [See {Abstract}, a.]
   1. To withdraw; to separate; to take away.

            He was incapable of forming any opinion or
            resolution abstracted from his own prejudices. --Sir
                                                  W. Scott.

   2. To draw off in respect to interest or attention; as, his
      was wholly abstracted by other objects.

            The young stranger had been abstracted and silent.
                                                  --Blackw. Mag.

   3. To separate, as ideas, by the operation of the mind; to
      consider by itself; to contemplate separately, as a
      quality or attribute. --Whately.

   4. To epitomize; to abridge. --Franklin.

   5. To take secretly or dishonestly; to purloin; as, to
      abstract goods from a parcel, or money from a till.

            Von Rosen had quietly abstracted the bearing-reins
            from the harness.                     --W. Black.

   6. (Chem.) To separate, as the more volatile or soluble parts
      of a substance, by distillation or other chemical
      processes. In this sense extract is now more generally
      used.

Source : WordNet®

abstract
     n 1: a concept or idea not associated with any specific instance;
          "he loved her only in the abstract--not in person" [syn:
           {abstraction}]
     2: a sketchy summary of the main points of an argument or
        theory [syn: {outline}, {synopsis}, {precis}]

abstract
     adj 1: existing only in the mind; separated from embodiment;
            "abstract words like `truth' and `justice'" [ant: {concrete}]
     2: not representing or imitating external reality or the
        objects of nature; "a large abstract painting" [syn: {abstractionist},
         {nonfigurative}, {nonobjective}]
     3: based on specialized theory; "a theoretical analysis" [syn:
        {theoretical}]
     4: dealing with a subject in the abstract without practical
        purpose or intention; "abstract reasoning"; "abstract
        science"

abstract
     v 1: consider a concept without thinking of a specific example;
          consider abstractly or theoretically
     2: make off with belongings of others [syn: {pilfer}, {cabbage},
         {purloin}, {pinch}, {snarf}, {swipe}, {hook}, {sneak}, {filch},
         {nobble}, {lift}]
     3: consider apart from a particular case or instance; "Let's
        abstract away from this particular example"
     4: give an abstract (of)