in church history, a sort of people in the ancient church who carried their abstinence and mortification very far. They have been clasped with heretics, though we have no certain account of their particular opinions.

ABSTRACT idea, in metaphysics, is a partial idea of a complex object, limited to one or more of the component parts or properties, laying aside or abstracting from the rest. Thus, in viewing an object with the eye, or recollecting it in the mind, we can easily abstract from some of its parts or properties, and attach ourselves to others: we can attend to the redness of a cherry, without regard to its figure, taste, or consistence. See Abstraction, Metaphysics.

ABSTRACT terms, words that are used to express abstract ideas. Thus beauty, ugliness, whiteness, roundness, life, death, are abstract terms.

ABSTRACT mathematics, sometimes denominated pure mathematics, treat of magnitude or quantity absolutely and generally considered, without regard to any particular species of magnitude.

ABSTRACT numbers, such as have no particular application.