From the NannyMUD documentation

FUNCTION

NAME
        extract - Extract a subpart of a string.


SYNTAX
	string extract(string str, void|int start, void|int to)

DESCRIPTION
	Get a subpart of a string. Both 'start' and 'to' is a position in
	'str'. If the position(s) is negative then it is counted from the
	end of the string.
	If the 'start' is bigger than 'to' then an empty string is
	returned. An empty string is also returned if the subpart is
	outside the string in its entirety.
	Both positions is optional. If no position is given then 'str' is
	returned.
	If only 'start' is given then a string from 'start' to the end of
	'str' is returned.


SEE ALSO
        capitalize in efun/type_related/capitalize


SEE ALSO
        lower_case in efun/type_related/lower_case


SEE ALSO
        explode in efun/type_related/explode


SEE ALSO
        implode in efun/type_related/implode