<B>abstracted, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> lost in thought; absent-minded. (SYN) preoccupied. adv. <B>abstractedly.</B> noun <B>abstractedness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="abstractexpressionism">
<B>abstract expressionism,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a style of abstract painting intended primarily to express the artist's emotions or state of mind during a creative experience, as by freely splattering or staining the canvas with paint. <BR> <I>Ex. Abstract expressionism, if it is to survive, must have a purpose and a form to fit that purpose (New Yorker).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="abstractexpressionist">
<B>abstract expressionist,</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a painter who produces works of abstract expressionism. <DD><B> 2. </B>of or having to do with abstract expressionism. <BR> <I>Ex. De Kooning's canvas reaffirms the abstract expressionist credo that the very effort of painting is what paintings should be about (Time).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="abstraction">
<B>abstraction, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the idea of a quality thought of apart from any particular object or real thing having that quality; abstract idea, concept, or term. <BR> <I>Ex. Whiteness, courage, hope, sorrow, and length are abstractions. A line that has no width is only an abstraction.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>the formation of an abstract idea or concept. <BR> <I>Ex. ... abstraction is nothing more than leaving out of a number of resembling ideas what is peculiar to each (Joseph Priestley).</I> <DD><B> 3a. </B>a taking away; removal. <BR> <I>Ex. the abstraction of iron from ore. After the abstraction of the juice from an orange, only the pulp and peel are left.</I> <DD><B> b. </B>secret, sly, or dishonest removal; purloining. <DD><B> 4. </B>the state of being lost in thought; absent-mindedness. <BR> <I>Ex. In a fit of abstraction he forgot to eat lunch.</I> <DD><B> 5. </B>a work of abstract art. <BR> <I>Ex. a group of abstractions in oil and water color.</I> <DD><B> 6. </B>abstractionism. <BR> <I>Ex. The recent emphasis on extreme abstraction ... raises questions which go to the very basis of artistic expression (New York Times).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="abstractional">
<B>abstractional, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> having to do with abstraction. <BR> <I>Ex. ... music so astringent ... that it amounts to abstractional design (New York Times).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="abstractionism">
<B>abstractionism, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the theory or principles of abstract art. <DD><B> 2. </B>the art or practice of making abstractions, especially in art. <BR> <I>Ex. Making mobiles is a type of abstractionism.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="abstractionist">
<B>abstractionist, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>an artist who produces works of abstract art. <BR> <I>Ex. The abstractionist, though, works in symbols, not depicting the object but suggesting it (New Yorker).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>an idealist; a dreamer. </DL>
<A NAME="abstractive">
<B>abstractive, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>having the power of abstraction. <DD><B> 2. </B>of or having the nature of an abstract or summary. adv. <B>abstractively.</B> noun <B>abstractiveness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="abstractmusic">
<B>abstract music,</B> =absolute music.</DL>
<A NAME="abstractnoun">
<B>abstract noun,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a common noun that refers to a quality, idea, action, or state, rather than to a physical object, tangible thing, or specific being. <I>Youth</I> is an abstract noun in "the vigor of youth," a collective noun in "the youth of our country," and a concrete noun in "a youth." </DL>
<A NAME="abstractnumber">
<B>abstract number,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a number which does not relate to a particular object or thing, as 4 or 6 distinguished from 4 apples or 6 cats. </DL>
<A NAME="abstractoftitle">
<B>abstract of title,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a summarized account of past ownership of a piece of real estate, going back as far as legally necessary, to establish current ownership. </DL>
<A NAME="abstrict">
<B>abstrict, </B>transitive verb, intransitive verb.<DL COMPACT><DD> to separate by abstriction. </DL>
<A NAME="abstriction">
<B>abstriction, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> branched spore formation in certain fungi in which portions of the spore-bearing filament (hypha) are separated by the formation of walls (septa); abjunction. </DL>
<A NAME="abstruse">
<B>abstruse, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> hard to understand; difficult. <BR> <I>Ex. If you do not master arithmetic, you will find algebra complicated and abstruse. The fields of inquiry run from simple mechanics to abstruse atomic energy (Wall Street Journal).</I> (SYN) esoteric, recondite, obscure, arcane. adv. <B>abstrusely.</B> noun <B>abstruseness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="abstrusity">
<B>abstrusity, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>no pl. abstruse character; obscurity. <BR> <I>Ex. The abstrusity of some legal documents baffles most laymen.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>pl. <B>-ties.</B> an abstruse point or matter. <BR> <I>Ex. ... there were criminal lawyers deeply versed in the abstrusities and tricks of the criminal law (Theodore Dreiser).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="absurd">
<B>absurd, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> plainly not true, logical, or sensible; so contrary to reason that it is laughable; foolish; ridiculous. <BR> <I>Ex. The idea that the number 13 brings bad luck is absurd.</I> (SYN) preposterous. <DD><I>noun </I> situations and ideas that represent the absurdity of the human condition. <BR> <I>Ex. students of the absurd, the literature of the absurd.</I> adv. <B>absurdly.</B> noun <B>absurdness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="absurdism">
<B>absurdism, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the principles and practices of the absurdists. <BR> <I>Ex. ... the austere absurdism of great dramatists like Beckett and Pinter (Renata Adler).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="absurdist">
<B>absurdist, </B>noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> a playwright who uses the techniques of the Theater of the Absurd. <BR> <I>Ex. The absurdist presents fantasy as reality, or reality as fantasy (Saturday Review).</I> <DD><I>adj. </I> of or having to do with the Theater of the Absurd. <BR> <I>Ex. absurdist comedy, absurdist dialogue.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="absurdity">
<B>absurdity, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B><I>no pl.</I> absurd quality or condition; lack of sense; foolishness. <BR> <I>Ex. the absurdity of superstition. You can see the absurdity of wearing shoes on your head and hats on your feet.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>pl. <B>-ties.</B> something absurd; a ridiculous or unreasonable action, statement, or custom. <BR> <I>Ex. To say that every father has a daughter is an absurdity.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="abt">
<B>ABT</B> (no periods),<DL COMPACT><DD> American Ballet Theatre. </DL>
<A NAME="abudefduf">
<B>abudefduf, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> any one of a genus of small, agile, tropical marine fish that hide in crevices in rocks or coral reefs; damselfish. </DL>
<A NAME="abuilding">
<B>abuilding, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Especially U.S.) in the process of being built. <BR> <I>Ex. What many call the New Europe is abuilding around the European Economic Community, better known as the Common Market (Wall Street Journal).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="abulia">
<B>abulia, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> loss of the ability to make decisions, characteristic of schizophrenia. Also, <B>aboulia.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="abulic">
<B>abulic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>of or having to do with abulia. <DD><B> 2. </B>characterized by abulia. Also, <B>aboulic.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="abundance">
<B>abundance, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a quantity that is more than enough; great plenty; full supply. <BR> <I>Ex. There is such an abundance of apples this year that many are not being picked. Oil, the greatest source of Venezuela's wealth, continues to flow in abundance (Atlantic).</I> (SYN) profusion, superfluity. <DD><B> 2. </B>a plentiful supply of money and possessions; wealth. <BR> <I>Ex. In the near future technology was going to create abundance and everyone would have enough of everything (Saul Bellow).</I> (SYN) affluence. </DL>
<A NAME="abundant">
<B>abundant, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>more than enough; very plentiful. <BR> <I>Ex. The trapper had an abundant supply of food for the winter.</I> (SYN) ample, bountiful, profuse. <DD><B> 2. </B>having more than enough; abounding (in); rich. <BR> <I>Ex. The fishermen found a river abundant in salmon. The Lord ... abundant in goodness and truth (Exodus 34:6).</I> adv. <B>abundantly.</B> noun <B>abundantness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="abundantnumber">
<B>abundant number,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a whole number whose divisors have a sum greater than twice this number. The number 18 is an abundant number because the sum of its divisors (18, 9, 6, 3, 2, 1) is greater than 2 X 18. </DL>
<A NAME="abundantyear">
<B>abundant year,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the longest of the three common years of the Jewish calendar, having 355 days; perfect year. </DL>
<A NAME="abunodisceomnes">
<B>ab uno disce omnes,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Latin.) from one learn all. </DL>
<A NAME="aburbecondita">
<B>ab urbe condita,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Latin.) since the founding of the city (of Rome, about 753 B.C.). (Abbr:) A.U.C. </DL>
<A NAME="abusage">
<B>abusage, </B>noun. =abuse.</DL>
<A NAME="abuse">
<B>abuse, </B>verb, <B>abused,</B> <B>abusing,</B> noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to use wrongly; make bad use of; misuse. <BR> <I>Ex. Do not abuse the privilege of using the library by loud talking. By being lazy he abused his opportunity for an education and ruined his chances of entering college.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to treat badly; mistreat. <BR> <I>Ex. The angry boy abused his dog by beating it. Don't abuse your eyes by reading in a bad light.</I> (SYN) maltreat, injure. <DD><B> 3. </B>to use harsh and insulting language about or to. <BR> <I>Ex. Instead of debating the issues the candidates abused each other.</I> (SYN) revile, malign. <DD><B> 4. </B>(Archaic.) to impose on; mislead; deceive. <DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a wrong or bad use. <BR> <I>Ex. Talking too loud is an abuse of your library privileges. The people hated the wicked king for his abuse of power.</I> (SYN) misapplication, misuse. <DD><B> 2. </B>harsh or severe treatment. <BR> <I>Ex. The abuse of the helpless prisoner made him bitter.</I> (SYN) injury. <DD><B> 3. </B>a bad practice or custom. <BR> <I>Ex. Slavery is an abuse. Abuses multiply when citizens are indifferent.</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>harsh and insulting language. (SYN) vituperation. <DD><B> 5. </B>(Archaic.) deception. adj. <B>abusable.</B> noun <B>abuser.</B> </DL>
