[a. Fr. extraction (OF. also in semi-popular form estracion), ad. med.L. extractiōn-em, n. of action f. L. extrahĕre: see EXTRACT v.]
1. The action or process of drawing (something) out of a receptacle; the pulling or taking out (of anything) by mechanical means; † withdrawal or removal (of a person); an instance of this.
1530–1. Act 22 Hen. VIII., c. 14. He … shal be suffred to remayne … in the same sayntuary, without any extraction from the same.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 481. Rew doth prosper much … if it be set by a Fig-tree: which … is caused … by Extraction of a contrary Juyce.
1794. Morse, Amer. Geog., 592. The extraction of gold [from mines] is neither very laborious nor dangerous in Brazil.
1799. Nelson, in Nicolas, Disp. (1845), III. 255. I will not permit the extraction of corn from Sicily.
1799. Med. Jrnl., II. 233. The extraction of a fœtus already dead.
1829. S. Cooper, Good’s Study Med. (ed. 3), IV. 238. Extraction [of a cataract] consists in making an incision through the cornea … and letting the lens escape through the pupil.
1863. Lyell, Antiq. Man, 14. The long bones … broken … to allow of the extraction of the marrow.
1878. L. P. Meredith, Teeth, 181. The extraction of a tooth might not really be the cause of the trouble.
fig. 1874. Morley, Compromise (1886), 152. The extraction of the first and more permanent elements of the old faith, to make the purified material of the new.
† b. The drawing of an inference; a deduction. Obs.
1622. T. Scott, Belg. Pismire, 12. Here we finde … advised … A Conclusion, or profitable extraction from the consultation; and be wise.
2. a. The action of extracting or copying out (a passage) from a book, etc.; † b. concr. An extracted passage, quotation (obs.); = EXTRACT sb. 4.
1656. Jer. Taylor, in Evelyn’s Mem. (1857), III. 77. I had occasion to use those extractions out of it [Lucretius].
1656–81. Blount, Glossogr., Extraction … breviate or abridgement, also a Draught or Copy.
Mod. Much pains has been taken in the extraction of illustrative passages.
3. The action or process of obtaining (the constituent elements, juices, etc.) from any substance by heat, pressure, etc. Cf. EXTRACT v. 4. Spirit of the first extraction: that which comes off at the first distillation.
1605. Timme, Quersit., III. 183. Distillation is an extraction of a liquor from a body by heate.
1627. Hakewill, Apol., III. vii. § 5. 231. Their artificiall extractions, seperations, and preparations of their medicines.
1701. Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), V. 54. The duty on low wines and spirits of the first extraction.
1837. M. Donovan, Dom. Econ., II. 265. The extraction of the soluble matter of bone.
1868. Rogers, Pol. Econ., iii. (1876), 18–9. Greater pains and more labour were devoted to the extraction of gold from its ores.
1880. Act 43–44 Vict., c. 24 § 3. ‘Low wines’ means spirits of the first extraction conveyed into a low wines receiver.
1891. Thorpe, Dict. Applied Chem., Extraction apparatus. The object of extraction is to dissolve out some constituent or constituents from a solid, by heating it with a solvent.
† b. concr. = EXTRACT sb. 2. Obs.
1594. Plat, Jewell-ho., Chem. Concl., 22. A stiffe and drie substance, which our Chimistes do call the extraction of the hearbe.
1605. B. Jonson, Volpone, II. Wks. (Rtldg.), 183/1. This rare extraction … hath … power to disperse all malignant humours.
1670–98. Lassels, Voy. Italy, I. 129. I saw their still-house where they make excellent extractions and cordial waters.
c. transf. and fig.
1587. Golding, De Mornay, x. 160. As thou hast taken so great paynes in resoluing or bringing things backe agayne into their first matter; whence commeth it that thy extractions … haue so diuers or contrary operations.
1605. Tryall Chev., II. iii. in Bullen, O. Pl. (1884), III. 296. The pure extraction of all beauty Flowes in abundance to my love-sick eye.
1644. Milton, Areop. (Arb.), 35. They do preserve … the purest efficacie and extraction of that living intellect that bred them.
4. Math. The process or method of extracting (the root of a number or quantity).
1557. Recorde, Whetst., C ij. The extraction of rootes [of numbers] should go orderly before the arte of Proportions.
1676. Glanvill, Ess., iii. 14. Extraction of Roots (which is a species of Division).
1827. Hutton, Course Math., I. 86. Two extractions for the 4th root, three for the 8th root, and so on.
1867. Todhunter, Algebra for Beginners, xxxii. § 287. We shall then consider … the extraction of the cube root of compound expressions.
5. a. Of persons: Origin, lineage, descent.
c. 1477. Caxton, Jason, 90. Ye be comen of so noble extraction of ryal lignage.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, lv. 186. I am com of a noble extraccyon.
1630. Sir S. D’Ewes, Jrnl. (1783), 69. Herself and my lord’s daughter-in-law doe respect my wife according to her several noble extractions.
1776. Gibbon, Decl. & F., I. 261. The memory of their common extraction was perpetuated by barbaric rites.
1878. Gladstone, Prim. Homer, 98. Dark hair is a note of the foreigner, and of southern extraction.
† b. Of things: Origin, source. Obs.
1648. Boyle, Seraph. Love, i. (1700), 2. I could wish … that the extraction of your freedom may no ways blemish it.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., V. iii. § 31. 195 Well therefore may the English … be ashamed of their Reformation, considering the vitious Extraction thereof.
Hence † Extractionable a., fit or adapted for extraction.
1797. Downing, Disord. Horned Cattle, 113. A calf … cannot be extracted … until replaced … in an extractionable position.
