ēˈd(y)üs, iˈ- transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Latin educere to lead forth, draw out, from e- + ducere to lead — more at tow
1. : to bring into manifestation (as a form, quality, or law conceived to be present in a latent, potential, or undeveloped state) : elicit , evolve
they want to educe and cultivate what is best and noblest in themselves — Matthew Arnold
educing power from confusion — H.O.Taylor
sometimes : evoke
from the reader, he can only educe pity, not respect or interest — V.A.Young
2. : to arrive at (as from reasoning)
seem to be able to educe from common sense a more or less clear reply to the questions raised — Henry Sidgwick
educe the conclusion — O.W.Holmes †1935
Synonyms:
educe , evoke , elicit , extract , and extort agree in meaning to draw out what is hidden, latent, or reserved. educe usually implies the bringing out of something potential or latent, often by inference but usually by means of development
polls rarely educe future attitudes — E.L.Bernays
constantly straining on to educe further salutary meaning from the text — H.O.Taylor
aimed to educe the innate capabilities of the student — Reyner Banham
evoke now implies some strong agency that can produce a particular effect, usually immediately, or that serves as a stimulus in arousing (as an emotion, a passion, or an interest)
choose the right words to evoke the right mood
there was melody in it, such as a woodpecker knows how to evoke from a smooth dry branch — John Burroughs
words evoking concrete imagery — Alice Bensen
there is much in this volume to evoke a smile — New York Herald Tribune Book Review
evoke the hope that you were going to see more — O.W.Holmes †1935
elicit , often interchangeable with evoke , usu., however implies care, trouble, or skill in drawing something forth or out, often against resistance
which elicited alternate jeers and applause from the shilling audience below — G.B.Shaw
no subject elicits a more animated response than some question about a woman's work — A.R.Williams
to make a study of blank verse alone would be to elicit some curious conclusions — T.S.Eliot
the inductive method of eliciting general laws — A.N.Whitehead
elicit information by cross-examination
extract , in this context, implies an action, force, or effort resembling the physical use of pressure to suction
we journeyed on, fed by food extracted from the peasants — Bertrand Russell
eke out her personal adornment by gifts which she managed to extract from her admirers — Mary Austin
in spite of incessant questioning, all he had been able to extract from this young girl was the story that the admiral had offered to lend her his house — Edith Sitwell
extort implies a wringing or wresting, especially from someone reluctant or resisting
extort money by blackmail
his perfect command of all his faculties extorted praise from those who neither loved nor esteemed him — T.B.Macaulay
whose income is ample enough to extort obsequiousness from the vulgar of all ranks — Arnold Bennett