attract: [15] Etymologically, attract means literally ‘pull something towards one’. It comes from attract-, the past participial stem of the Latin verb attrahere, a compound formed from the prefix ad- ‘to’ and the verb trahere ‘pull’. It was quite a late formation, of around the mid 15th century, coined on the model of other English verbs, such as abstract and contract, deriving ultimately from Latin trahere. => abstract, contract, retract, subtract
attract (v.)
early 15c., from Latin attractus, past participle of attrahere "to draw, pull; to attract," from ad- "to" (see ad-) + trahere "draw" (see tract (n.1)).
Originally a medical term for the body's tendency to absorb fluids, nourishment, etc., or for a poultice treatment to "draw out" diseased matter (1560s). Of the ability of people or animals to draw others to them, it is attested from 1560s; of physical forces (magnetism, etc.), from c. 1600 (implied in attraction). Related: Attracted; attracting.
双语例句
1. He had unmistakably been waving his flag to attract the referee's attention.
他显然一直在挥舞旗子吸引主裁判的注意。
来自柯林斯例句
2. Russia's efforts to attract investment have been halting and confused.
俄罗斯在吸引投资上一直踌躇不前，混乱不清。
来自柯林斯例句
3. Airlines should stand or fall on their ability to attract passengers.
航空公司的成败应该取决于它们吸引乘客的能力。
来自柯林斯例句
4. The Party has been unable to attract upwardly mobile voters.
该党一直不能吸引那些追求更高社会地位的选民。
来自柯林斯例句
5. The salt marshes and mud flats attract large numbers of waterfowl.