1. to draw away from a position, especially to move a limb away from the midline of the body
Usage: anatomy; medical

Examples

• The physical therapist asked her to abduce her arm to test shoulder mobility.
• Certain muscles abduce the fingers, spreading them apart from each other.
• The injury made it difficult for him to abduce his leg properly.
• During the examination, the doctor tested her ability to abduce and adduct her thumb.
• The deltoid muscle helps to abduce the arm at the shoulder joint.