attract

English

Etymology

From Latin attractus, past participle of attrahere (“to draw to, attract”), from ad (“to”) + trahere (“to draw”).

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /əˈtɹækt/
  • Audio (UK)(file)
  • Rhymes: -ækt

Verb

attract (third-person singular simple present attracts, present participle attracting, simple past and past participle attracted)

  1. (transitive) To pull toward without touching.
    • 1713, W[illiam] Derham, Physico-Theology: Or, A Demonstration of the Being and Attributes of God, from His Works of Creation. […], London: […] W[illiam] Innys, […], OCLC 2313581:
      All bodies, and all the parts of bodies, mutually attract themselves, and one another.
    • 2013 July-August, Stephen P. Lownie, David M. Pelz, “Stents to Prevent Stroke”, in American Scientist:
      The reason plaque forms isn’t entirely known, but it seems to be related to high levels of cholesterol inducing an inflammatory response, which can also attract and trap more cellular debris over time.
    A magnet attracts iron filings.
  2. (transitive) To draw by moral, emotional or sexual influence; to engage or fix, as the mind, attention, etc.; to invite or allure.
    Advertising is designed to attract customers.
    to attract admirers
    His big smile and brown eyes instantly attracted me.
  3. (transitive) To incur.
    Using the minibar in a hotel room attracts additional charges.

Conjugation
Conjugation of attract
infinitive (to) attract
present tense past tense
1st-person singular attract attracted
2nd-person singular attract, attractest† attracted, attractedst†
3rd-person singular attracts, attracteth† attracted
plural attract
subjunctive attract attracted
imperative attract —
participles attracting attracted

†Archaic or obsolete.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Further reading
  • attract in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • attract in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911
  • attract at OneLook Dictionary Search
This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.