"to kidnap," 1834, probably a back-formation from abduction; also compare abduce, the earlier verb, which has a more abstract sense. Related: Abducted; abducting.
Entries linking to abduct
abduction n.
1620s, "a leading away," from Latin abductionem (nominative abductio) "a forcible carrying off, ravishing, robbing," noun of action from past-participle stem of abducere "to lead away, take away, arrest" (often by force), from ab "off, away from" (see ab-) + ducere "to lead" (from PIE root *deuk- "to lead"). As "criminal act of forcibly taking (someone)" by 1768; before that the word also was a term in surgery and logic. In the Mercian hymns, Latin abductione is glossed by Old English wiðlaednisse.
abduce v.
"to draw away" by persuasion or argument, 1530s, from Latin abductus, past participle of abducere "to lead away, take away," also in figurative senses, from ab "off, away from" (see ab-) + ducere "to lead" (from PIE root *deuk- "to lead"). Related: Abduced; abducing.
*deuk-
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to lead."
It forms all or part of: abduce; abducent; abduct; abduction; adduce; aqueduct; circumduction; conduce; conducive; conduct; conductor; conduit; deduce; deduction; dock (n.1) "ship's berth;" doge; douche; ducal; ducat; Duce; duchess; duchy; duct; ductile; duke (n.); educate; education; induce; induction; introduce; introduction; misconduct; produce; production; reduce; reduction; seduce; seduction; subduce; subduction; taut; team (n.); teem (v.1) "abound, swarm, be prolific;" tie (n.); tow (v.); traduce; transducer; tug; zugzwang.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Latin dux (genitive ducis) "leader, commander," in Late Latin "governor of a province," ducere "to lead;" Old English togian "to pull, drag," teonteon "to pull, drag;" German Zaum "bridle," ziehen "to draw, pull, drag;" Middle Welsh dygaf "I draw."
