Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SUB-STRAC'TION, n.

In law, the withdrawing or withholding of some right. Thus the substraction of conjugal rights, is when either the husband or wife withdraws from the other and lives separate. The substraction of a legacy, is the withholding or detaining of it from the legatee by the executor. In like manner, the withholding of any service, rent, duty or custom is a substraction, for which the law gives a remedy. – Blackstone.