Library / English Dictionary

ATTRACT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Exert a force on (a body) causing it to approach or prevent it from moving away

Example:

the gravitational pull of a planet attracts other bodies

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "attract" is one way to...):

pull (apply force so as to cause motion towards the source of the motion)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

attractable (capable of being magnetized or attracted by a magnet)

attraction (the force by which one object attracts another)

attractive (having the properties of a magnet; the ability to draw or pull)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Direct toward itself or oneself by means of some psychological power or physical attributes

Example:

The store owner was happy that the ad drew in many new customers

Synonyms:

attract; draw; draw in; pull; pull in

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "attract" is one way to...):

draw; pull (cause to move by pulling)

Verb group:

draw in; retract (pull inward or towards a center)

curl; curl up; draw in (shape one's body into a curl)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "attract"):

tug (pull hard)

arrest; catch; get (attract and fix)

draw in; retract (pull inward or towards a center)

bring (attract the attention of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something to somebody
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Antonym:

repel (cause to move back by force or influence)

Derivation:

attraction (the quality of arousing interest; being attractive or something that attracts)

attraction (a characteristic that provides pleasure and attracts)

attraction (an entertainment that is offered to the public)

attraction (an entertainer who attracts large audiences)

attractive (having power to arouse interest)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Be attractive to

Example:

The beautiful garden attracted many people

Synonyms:

appeal; attract

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "attract"):

becharm; beguile; bewitch; captivate; capture; catch; charm; enamor; enamour; enchant; entrance; fascinate; trance (attract; cause to be enamored)

beckon (appear inviting)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Antonym:

repel (be repellent to; cause aversion in)

Derivation:

attraction (the quality of arousing interest; being attractive or something that attracts)

attraction (a characteristic that provides pleasure and attracts)

attraction (an entertainment that is offered to the public)

attractive (pleasing to the eye or mind especially through beauty or charm)

attractor (a characteristic that provides pleasure and attracts)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Honeyguides give a special call to attract people’s attention, then fly from tree to tree to indicate the direction of a bees’ nest.

(How humans and wild Honeyguide birds call each other to help, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

However, these were not able to attract native finches for copulation and thus had to mate within their own new species, making them genetically and reproductively isolated.

(Researchers report rapid formation of new bird species in Galápagos islands, Wikinews)

At this time, and in weeks to come, you will be able to attract the attention of VIPs.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

The thought fluttered in her mind like a flame-attracted moth.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Upon placing the magnet erect, with its attracting end towards the earth, the island descends; but when the repelling extremity points downwards, the island mounts directly upwards.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Do you keep plate in the house, or anything to attract burglars?

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

She attracted him more than he liked—and Miss Bingley was uncivil to her, and more teasing than usual to himself.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

The fruit comes into contact with the vector during processing and storage: while kept in open baskets, the açaí fruit ferments and generates carbon dioxide, which attracts the triatomine insect.

(Açaí fruit can transmit Chagas disease, SciDev.Net)

Processes by which certain microorganisms and toxins are attracted to nervous tissue.

(Neurotropism, NCI Thesaurus)

Inflammatory cytokines activate neutrophils and chemotactic peptides attract them to sites of infection.

(Neutrophil Surface Molecule Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)