sustraer

to subtract, to remove

verb soos-trah-EHR Rare

Origin: Latin subtrahere (to draw from below)

Also means

to steal, to abduct

Usage Note

Sustraer is an irregular verb that conjugates like traer: present sustraigo, preterite sustraje. In mathematics it means 'to subtract' (synonymous with restar); in legal and literary language it means 'to steal' or 'to abduct'. The reflexive sustraerse a means 'to avoid' or 'to escape from' something (sustraerse a la realidad).

Examples

"Intentó sustraer fondos de la empresa."

Natural Translation

He tried to remove funds from the company.

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