different between distraction vs traction

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French distraction, from Latin distractio.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /d?s?t?æk?(?)n/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /d?s?t?æk??n/, /d?-/
• Rhymes: -æk??n
• Hyphenation: dis?tract?ion

Noun

distraction (countable and uncountable, plural distractions)

1. Something that distracts.

2. The process of being distracted.

3. Perturbation; disorder; disturbance; confusion.
   • 1662, Thomas Salusbury, Galileo's dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems (Dialogue 2):

     It's true that the Copernican Systeme introduceth distraction in the universe of Aristotle.

4. Mental disorder; a deranged state of mind; insanity.
   • 1673, Richard Baxter, Christian Directory

     […] if he speak the words of an oath in a strange language, thinking they signify something else, or if he spake in his sleep, or deliration, or distraction, it is no oath, and so not obligatory.

5. (medicine, archaic) Traction so exerted as to separate surfaces normally opposed.

Derived terms

• distracter
• distractee

Translations

References

• John A. Simpson and Edward S. C. Weiner, editors (1989) , “distraction”, in The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, ?ISBN

Anagrams

• adstriction

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin distracti?, distracti?nem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dis.t?ak.sj??/

Noun

distraction f (plural distractions)

1. distraction
2. entertainment

Related terms

• distraire

Further reading

• “distraction” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

English

Etymology

From Medieval Latin tractio, from Latin tractus, perfect passive participle of verb trahere (“pull”), + noun of action suffix -io (genitive -ionis).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?t?æk.??n/
• Rhymes: -æk??n

Noun

traction (usually uncountable, plural tractions)

1. The act of pulling something along a surface using motive power.
2. The condition of being so pulled.
3. Grip.
4. The pulling power of an engine or animal.
5. The adhesive friction of a wheel etc on a surface.
6. (usually after forms of gain, get or have) Progress in or momentum toward achieving a goal.
   1. (business) The extent of adoption of a new product or service, typically measured in number of customers or level of revenue achieved.
   2. (politics) Popular support.
   3. (academia) Scholarly interest and research.
7. (medicine) A mechanically applied sustained pull, especially to a limb.
8. (transport) Collectively, the locomotives of a railroad, especially electric locomotives.

Derived terms

Related terms

• contraction
• subtraction

Translations

Verb

traction (third-person singular simple present tractions, present participle tractioning, simple past and past participle tractioned)

1. (medicine, transitive) To apply a sustained pull to (a limb, etc.).

Anagrams

• tacitron

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin tracti?, from trah?.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /t?ak.sj??/

Noun

traction f (plural tractions)

1. traction
2. (gymnastics) pull-up

Derived terms

• système de traction asservie

Related terms

• attraction
• tracter
• traire

Further reading

• “traction” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).