steal betrothed damsels from their bosoms

    ab-dūcō dūxī, ductus, ere    imper. sometimes abdūce, T.), to lead away, take away, carry off, remove, lead aside: filiam abduxit suam, has taken away (from her husband), T.: cohortes secum, Cs.: squalent abductis arva colonis, drafted (for the war), V.: ipsos in lautumias; (poet.): tollite me, Teucri, quascumque abducite terras (i. e. in terras), V.: pluteos ad alia opera, conduct, Cs.: capita retro ab ictu, draw back, V. — Esp., to take home (to dine): tum me convivam solum abducebat sibi, T.—To take (prisoner), arrest: hunc abduce, vinci, T.: e foro abduci, non perduci, arrested for debt, not enticed (by a love-adventure). — To take apart, lead aside (for a private interview): Iugurtham in praetorium, S.—To carry away forcibly, ravish, rob: filia, vi abducta ab tibicine: soceros legere et gremiis abducere pactas, steal betrothed damsels from their bosoms, V.; in jurid. lang.: auferre et abducere, to take and drive away (auferre of inanimate things, abducere of living beings), C. — Fig., to lead away, separate, distinguish: animum a corpore: divinationem a coniecturis.—To seduce, alienate: legiones a Bruto: equitatum a consule: servum ab avo.—From a study, pursuit, or duty, to withdraw, draw off, hinder: a quo studio abduci negotiis: aliquem a quaestu: ab isto officio incommodo.—To bring down, reduce, degrade: ad hanc hominum libidinem me.