extract
B2Formal to neutral
Definition
Meaning
To remove or take out something, especially with effort or force.
To obtain something (information, a substance, a quality) from a source; a concentrated preparation of the essential constituents of a substance.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As a verb, often implies a process requiring skill or effort. As a noun, often refers to a concentrated substance or a short passage taken from a text.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor differences in stress patterns for the noun. The verb form is identical in usage.
Connotations
Similar connotations in both varieties. The noun 'extract' (as in a passage) is slightly more formal in British English.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
extract something from something/somebodyextract somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To extract the urine (UK, vulgar slang: to mock)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
To extract value from data; to extract concessions during negotiations.
Academic
To extract a sample for analysis; to extract themes from qualitative data.
Everyday
The dentist will extract the bad tooth; I use vanilla extract in baking.
Technical
To extract metadata from a file; to extract minerals from ore.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- She read a short extract from her new novel.
- The recipe calls for a teaspoon of almond extract.
American English
- The document included an extract from the meeting minutes.
- Pure vanilla extract is quite expensive.
verb
British English
- The surgeon needed to extract the bullet carefully.
- It was difficult to extract a straight answer from the minister.
American English
- The software can extract data from the old database.
- They had to extract the oil from deep shale formations.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The dentist will extract my tooth tomorrow.
- This is an extract from my favourite story.
- Scientists can extract DNA from very old samples.
- The book contains extracts from historical letters.
- The journalist managed to extract a surprising confession from the celebrity.
- The legal team pored over every extract of relevant testimony.
- The new methodology aims to extract more nuanced insights from the raw survey data.
- His thesis included a critical analysis of key extracts from the philosophical canon.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'EX-it' and 'TRACT-or'. A tractor pulls something OUT (ex-).
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE/INFORMATION IS A RESOURCE (that can be mined/extracted).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'экстракт' (noun only). The verb is 'извлекать'. 'Extract a promise' is not 'вытащить обещание' but 'добиться обещания'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'extract' as a noun when 'excerpt' is meant for a text passage. Confusing stress patterns between verb and noun.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'extract' used as a NOUN?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The verb has stress on the second syllable (ex-TRACT), while the noun has stress on the first syllable (EX-tract).
Yes, commonly for abstract things like information, promises, confessions, or meaning.
Both can be a passage from a text, but 'extract' often implies something removed or pulled out, while 'excerpt' is specifically a selected passage from a longer work.
It is the standard, neutral medical term. In very informal UK speech, 'pull' might be used.