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EN KO VI NE KM ID

tract

trækt

One pulling hand, from a tooth to a contract

The picture A hand taking hold of something and hauling it your way. Teeth, customers, attention — all get dragged. tract drags it toward you; pel shoves it away.

Word roots

Where the picture shows up in tract

  1. pulled out

    The dentist extracted the tooth.

    ðə ˈdentɪst ɪkˈstræktɪd ðə tuːθ

    The dentist took the tooth out.

    Pliers grip the tooth and haul it up out of the gum.

  2. pulled toward you

    The new sign attracts more customers.

    ðə nuː saɪn əˈtrækts mɔːr ˈkʌstəmərz

    The new sign brings in more customers.

    The new sign takes hold of people passing and pulls them toward the shop.

  3. two sides pulled together

    Read the contract before you sign.

    riːd ðə ˈkɑːntrækt bɪˈfɔːr juː saɪn

    Read the agreement before signing.

    Two people pull the ropes they were each holding into one knot.

    con (together) + tract (pull) — a contract pulls both sides into one knot.

  4. pulled away sideways

    Don't distract the driver.

    doʊnt dɪˈstrækt ðə ˈdraɪvər

    Don't take the driver's attention away.

    Someone drags the driver's eyes sideways, off the road.

  5. pulled out from under

    Subtract the deposit from the total.

    səbˈtrækt ðə dɪˈpɑːzɪt frəm ðə ˈtoʊtəl

    Take the deposit off the total.

    An amount is pulled down and away out of the pile of the total.

All of it in one picture

tract is a grip and a pull. Pull it out of the body and a tooth is extracted; pull people your way and they are attracted; pull two sides together and you have a contract. Pull a mind off to the side and it is distracted; pull an amount down out of the total and you have subtracted. Teeth, customers, attention, numbers — the picture is always the hand hauling.

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