Attract ATTRACT', v.t. [L. attraho, attractus, of ad and trako, to draw. See Drag and Draw.]
1. To draw to; to cause to move towards, and unite with; as, electrical bodies attract straws, and light substances, by physical laws.
2. To draw to or incline to unite with though some cause may prevent the union; as, the sun is supposed to attract the planets.
3. To draw by influence of a moral kind; to invite or allure; as, to attract admirers.
4. To engage; as, to attract attention.
ATTRACT', n. Attraction. [Not in use.]

attract v 1: direct toward itself or oneself by means of some psychological power or physical attributes; "Her good looks attract the stares of many men"; "The ad pulled in many potential customers"; "This pianist pulls huge crowds"; "The store owner was happy that the ad drew in many new customers" [syn: attract, pull, pull in, draw, draw in] [ant: beat back, drive, force back, push back}, repel, repulse] 2: be attractive to; "The idea of a vacation appeals to me"; "The beautiful garden attracted many people" [syn: attract, appeal] [ant: repel, repulse] 3: exert a force on (a body) causing it to approach or prevent it from moving away; "the gravitational pull of a planet attracts other bodies"

attract 1540, from L. attractus, pp. of attrahere "to draw, to attract," from ad- "to" + trahere "draw." Originally a medical term for the body's tendency to absorb fluids, nourishment, etc., or for a poultice treatment to "draw out" diseased matter (1563). Of the ability of people or animals to draw others to them, it is attested from 1568; of physical forces (magnetism, etc.), from 1607 (implied in attraction). Attractive in the sense of "pleasing, alluring" is from 1602. Attraction "interesting or amusing exhibition" is from 1862.

attract
v.tr.
1 (also absol.) draw or bring to oneself or itself (attracts many admirers; attracts attention).
2 be attractive to; fascinate.
3 (of a magnet, gravity, etc.) exert a pull on (an object).
Derivatives:
attractable adj. attractor n.
Etymology: L attrahere (as AD-, trahere tract- draw)

attract (attracts, attracting, attracted) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. If something attracts people or animals, it has features that cause them to come to it. The Cardiff Bay project is attracting many visitors... Warm weather has attracted the flat fish close to shore... VERB: V n, V n adv/prep 2. If someone or something attracts you, they have particular qualities which cause you to like or admire them. If a particular quality attracts you to a person or thing, it is the reason why you like them. He wasn't sure he'd got it right, although the theory attracted him by its logic... More people would be attracted to cycling if conditions were right. VERB: V n, V n to n 3. If you are attracted to someone, you are interested in them sexually. In spite of her hostility, she was attracted to him... VERB: be V-ed to n • attracted He was nice looking, but I wasn't deeply attracted to him... ADJ: v-link ADJ, usu ADJ to n 4. If something attracts support, publicity, or money, it receives support, publicity, or money. President Mwinyi said his country would also like to attract investment from private companies... VERB: V n 5. If one object attracts another object, it causes the second object to move towards it. Anything with strong gravity attracts other things to it. VERB: V n to n, also V n 6. to attract someone's attention: see attention

attract əˈtrækt v.tr. 1 (also absol.) draw or bring to oneself or itself (attracts many admirers; attracts attention). 2 be attractive to; fascinate. 3 (of a magnet, gravity, etc.) exert a pull on (an object). øøattractable adj. attractor n. [L attrahere (as AD-, trahere tract- draw)]

Attract \At*tract"\, n. Attraction. [Obs.] --Hudibras.

Attract \At*tract"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Attracted; p. pr. & vb. n. Attracting.] [L. attractus, p. p. of attrahere; ad + trahere to draw. See Trace, v. t.] 1. To draw to, or cause to tend to; esp. to cause to approach, adhere, or combine; or to cause to resist divulsion, separation, or decomposition. All bodies and all parts of bodies mutually attract themselves and one another. --Derham. 2. To draw by influence of a moral or emotional kind; to engage or fix, as the mind, attention, etc.; to invite or allure; as, to attract admirers. Attracted by thy beauty still to gaze. --Milton. Syn: To draw; allure; invite; entice; influence.

attract v. a. 1. Draw, bring into proximity, cause to approach. 2. Allure, invite, entice, engage, win, captivate, fascinate, endear, charm, enamour.

attract əˈtrækt v. draw, invite; entice, lure, allure, appeal to, charm, captivate, fascinate, Colloq pull: Our attention was attracted by a slight noise in the cupboard. Melissa attracts men the way flowers attract bees.

63 Moby Thesaurus words for "attract": adduct, affect the interest, allure, appeal, appeal to, be attractive, be magnetic, becharm, beckon, beguile, bewitch, captivate, carry away, charm, concern, court, drag, draw, draw in, draw on, draw towards, enamor, enchant, endear, engage, enrapture, entice, entrance, excite, excite interest, fascinate, fetch, have an attraction, hold in thrall, infatuate, inflame with love, interest, intrigue, inveigle, invite, involve in, lure, magnet, magnetize, pique, provoke, pull, pull towards, seduce, solicit, stimulate, suck in, summon, take, tantalize, tease, tempt, tickle, titillate, tug, vamp, whet the appetite, wile

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