abstract

adjective

• 1existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence:abstract concepts such as love or beauty
• dealing with ideas rather than events:the novel was too abstract and esoteric to sustain much attention
• not based on a particular instance; theoretical:we have been discussing the problem in a very abstract manner
• (of a noun) denoting an idea, quality, or state rather than a concrete object.

• 2relating to or denoting art that does not attempt to represent external reality, but rather seeks to achieve its effect using shapes, colours, and textures: abstract pictures

verb

• 1 (abstract something from) consider something theoretically or separately from (something else):to abstract science and religion from their historical context can lead to anachronism

• 2 (usually abstract something from) extract or remove (something):applications to abstract more water from streams
• used euphemistically to indicate that someone has stolen something:his pockets contained all he had been able to abstract from the flat
• (abstract oneself) withdraw:as our relationship deepened you seemed to abstract yourself

• 3make a written summary of (an article or book):staff who abstract material for an online database

noun

• 1a summary of the contents of a book, article, or speech:an abstract of her speech

• 2an abstract work of art:a big unframed abstract