CONTRACT


Meaning of CONTRACT in English

I. noun

a usually legally enforceable arrangement between two or more parties

a contract for a new roof

Synonyms: agreement, bargain, bond, compact, convention, covenant, pact, transaction; compare agreement 2, treaty

II. verb

1.

to become affected by a disease or disorder

contracted a severe cold that later turned into pneumonia

Synonyms: catch, come down (with), get, sicken (with or of), take

Related Word: acquire, obtain; decline, fail, sink, weaken; afflict, derange, disorder, indispose, upset; bring on, cause, induce; succumb (to)

Idioms: be laid by the heels by, fall (a) victim to

2.

Synonyms: incur

3.

to make or become smaller in bulk or volume

contract a muscle

Synonyms: compress, concentrate, condense, constrict, shrink

Related Word: decrease, diminish, dwindle, lessen, reduce

Contrasted words: dilate, distend, inflate, swell

Antonyms: expand

Merriam Webster. Collegiate thesaurus English vocabulary.      Английский энциклопедический словарь тезаурус.