attract

英[ə'trækt] 美[ə'trækt]

第三人称单数: attracts;过去式: attracted;过去分词: attracted;现在分词: attracting;

1、at- "to" + tract-.

attract 吸引

前缀at-同ad-. 词根tract, 拉，见tractor, 卡车。

attract: 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.

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。

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。

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。

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。

5. The salt marshes and mud flats attract large numbers of waterfowl.: 盐碱地和泥滩吸引了大量水鸟。