traction

[trak-shuhn]

noun

1. the adhesive friction of a body on some surface, as a wheel on a rail or a tire on a road.

2. the action of drawing a body, vehicle, train, or the like, along a surface, as a road, track, railroad, or waterway.

3. Medicine/Medical.,  the deliberate and prolonged pulling of a muscle, organ, or the like, as by weights, to correct dislocation, relieve pressure, etc.

4. transportation by means of railroads.

5. the act of drawing or pulling.

6. the state of being drawn.

7. the support or momentum needed to advance something or make it successful.

   Her proposal failed to gain traction among our board members.

8. attracting power or influence; attraction.

   The main character feels the traction of fate.

traction

/ ˈtræktɪv, ˈtrækʃən /

noun

1. the act of drawing or pulling, esp by motive power

2. the state of being drawn or pulled

3. med the application of a steady pull on a part during healing of a fractured or dislocated bone, using a system of weights and pulleys or splints

4. the adhesive friction between a wheel and a surface, as between a driving wheel of a motor vehicle and the road

traction

1. Static friction, as of a wheel on a track or a tire on a road.

2. See more at friction

3. A sustained pulling force applied mechanically to a part of the body by means of a weighted apparatus in order to correct the position of fractured or dislocated bones, especially of the arm, leg, or neck.

Other Word Forms

• tractive adjective
• tractional adjective
• nontraction noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of traction¹

First recorded in 1605–15; from Medieval Latin tractiōn- (stem of tractiō ) “act of drawing,” equivalent to tract(us) (past participle of trahere “to draw, drag, pull”) + -iōn-; -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of traction¹

C17: from Medieval Latin tractiō , from Latin tractus dragged; see _tractile

Example Sentences

But the program has failed to gain any traction against ABC’s “World News Tonight With David Muir” and NBC’s “Nightly News With Tom Llamas.”

From Los Angeles Times

And, while these practices can be more expensive in the short term, Levine is still optimistic they can gain traction as research increasingly shows their effectiveness.

From Los Angeles Times

But its lead had already started to be eroded, as broadband offerings from rivals started to gain traction.

From BBC

But with most mayors serving just a single three-year term and scant public funds, reform efforts gained no traction.

From Los Angeles Times

Eugenics gained traction in the early 20th century, most notably in Nazi Germany, where Hitler sought to create a master Aryan race, perpetrating unspeakable atrocities including the Holocaust.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• suction