attract

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。

【attract, charm, enchant, fascinate, tempt】
这些动词均含有“吸引，引诱”之意。
attract: 普通用词，指客观上吸引人的注意力。
charm: 侧重迷住某人或使之高兴。
enchant: 着重指有能力引起被迷住者的欢乐或赞美。
fascinate: 通常含使人无法拒绝、无法摆脱的意味。
tempt: 指吸引力很强，强调欲望被唤醒。

【abstract, subtract, contract, attract】
abstract: vt 抽取；
subtract: vt 减去
contract: vt 使缩小（招致，染上（疾病等））；
attract: vt 吸引；