The definition of the term "tractive force" within the post just previous to this one—the initial post to this blog—is my own: .. in fact derived from a few that I've found dealing with the idea more general.
Here below is a link to "NOAA's" - The "National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Association's", definition / explanation of the term, as it's used more astronomically. / — In fact from an article on the earth's main "ocean tides" that they've posted online, and with that article's focusing at one point on just how this force works more specifically and in particularly to both generate, together with regulate and maintain, "the tides".
(section no. 4 - of Chapter 3, routed to here above, covers "tractive force". Of important note: There's a minor error within this text - fairly confusing: .. "opposes" - within this section's initial paragraph, should be "opposed".)
In main part, what this explanation addresses, is the idea, important where looking at the generation of whatever main and more primary high tide, daily, at whatever specific location, .. that as opposed to the idea that seawater at whatever more specific "sublunar point", is merely being "lifted", skyward, or more perpendicularly, and as the more immediate result of the main more external gravitational force/s being exerted on it ... (A fairly common misperception.), .. instead, main seawater's being otherwise, first - and more initially, .. drawn, more eastward, by this force - (i.e. again, a more specific component, or otherwise looked at, primary projection and focusing of both the moon's and sun's main gravitational output.), .... with the general alignment of its main projection being caused to shift, with the earth's main turning, and with the moon's main shift daily, more toward whatever main eastern horizon, relative to whatever location more in particular; ... this before, and with the earth's continued turning along with moon's continued shift, those same waters then being caused to slow that increased movement eastward - more horizontal, gradually but steadily; ... before, and with the earth's further turning, together with moon's further shift / - and so also, the shifting of the projection of this force's main focus to from more directly overhead, seawaters ultimately being caused to "pile-up" on one another to a maximum potential. — This all, before this more primary gathering and building up of seawater daily, is allowed to subside gradually, ultimately, subsequently, with both the moon's position, along with that main focus-angle of the alignment where considering this more specific projection of gravity, being caused to shift - further, steadily more toward the western horizon with the earth's turning further still.
