(defun take-from (object the-list) (cond ((null the-list) () ) ((eq object (car the-list)) (take-from object (cdr the-list)) ) (T (cons (car the-list) (take-from object (cdr the-list))) ) ) ) Demo: [12]> (take-from 2 '(1 2 3 4 5)) (1 3 4 5) [13]> (take-from 2 '(2 2 3 3 a)) (3 3 A) [14]> (take-from 2 '(15 3 3 a)) (15 3 3 A)