abduction

/æb'dʌkʃn/

Thân thiện

A physical therapist guides the patient's arm in abduction during a rehabilitation exercise.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • (Physiology) The movement of a limb or other body part away from the midline of the body or from another part.
   • (Law/Crime) The criminal act of taking someone away by force or deception; kidnapping.

Examples

• Noun (Physiology):
  • The physical therapist instructed the patient on performing shoulder abduction.
  • Abduction of the arm involves lifting it sideways away from the torso.
• Noun (Law/Crime):
  • The police are investigating the abduction of the businessman.
  • The film's plot revolves around the abduction of a child.

Advanced Usage

• Legal Context: In legal terminology, "abduction" often specifies the unlawful taking of a person, particularly a minor or a spouse, distinguishing it from general kidnapping in some jurisdictions.
  • The charge was changed from kidnapping to abduction due to the victim's age.
• Philosophical/Logical Context: In logic and reasoning, "abduction" refers to a form of inference where one chooses the most likely explanation for an observation. (Note: This is a distinct, specialized meaning).
  • Abductive reasoning is often described as inference to the best explanation.

Variants and Related Words

• Abduct (verb): To take someone away illegally by force or deception; to move a body part away from the midline.
  • The criminals attempted to abduct the witness.
  • This muscle helps to abduct the thigh.
• Abductor (noun):
  • A person who abducts another person.

    • The abductor was apprehended by the authorities.
  • (Anatomy) A muscle that serves to abduct a body part.

    • The deltoid is a major abductor of the arm.

Synonyms

• Kidnapping (for the criminal act): The unlawful carrying away of a person.
• Seizure (for the criminal act, more general): The act of taking by force.
• Movement away (for the physiological action).

Antonyms

• Adduction (noun, Physiology): The movement of a body part toward the midline of the body.
  • Adduction of the fingers brings them together.
• Return or Release (for the criminal act): The act of bringing someone back or setting them free.

Related Phrases

• Alien abduction: A popular culture and UFOlogy term for the supposed kidnapping of humans by extraterrestrial beings.
  • He claimed his missing time was due to an alien abduction.
• Parental abduction: The taking of a child by one parent in violation of the other parent's rights or a court order.
  • International treaties help address cases of parental abduction.

Học thuật

Noun

1. (physiology) moving of a body part away from the central axis of the body
2. the criminal act of capturing and carrying away by force a family member; if a man's wife is abducted it is a crime against the family relationship and against the wife