I. con ‧ tract 1 S1 W1 AC /ˈkɒntrækt $ ˈkɑːn-/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: Latin contractus ; ⇨ ↑ contract 2 ]
1 . an official agreement between two or more people, stating what each will do ⇨ contractual
contract with/between
Tyler has agreed a seven-year contract with a Hollywood studio.
contract to do something
a three-year contract to provide pay telephones at local restaurants
on a contract/under contract
The firm operates schools under contract to state education authorities.
Employees who refuse to relocate are in breach of contract (=have done something not allowed by their contracts) .
2 . subject to contract if an agreement is subject to contract, it has not yet been agreed formally by a contract
3 . informal an agreement to kill a person for money:
They put a contract out on him and he’s in hiding.
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COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ have a contract
The company had a contract to build a new hotel there.
▪ sign a contract
He signed a contract to become vice president of the football club.
▪ enter (into) a contract
You will enter a two-year training contract with your chosen employer.
▪ agree to a contract ( also agree a contract British English )
Keane was reported to have agreed a contract for a further three years.
▪ make a contract
Did he know this when he made the contract?
▪ negotiate a contract (=agree the conditions of a contract with someone)
Your lawyer will assist you in negotiating a contract.
▪ break a contract (=do something that your contract does not allow)
She broke her contract and left the job after only six months.
▪ fulfil/honour a contract (=do what you have agreed to do)
If you have signed a contract, you have to fulfil it.
▪ draw up a contract (=write one)
The two sides drew up a contract.
▪ win/get a contract
They won a contract to supply 37 passenger trains to Regional Railways.
▪ give somebody a contract
He was given a new two-year contract in March.
▪ award a company a contract (=give them a contract)
The state of Kentucky has awarded the firm a $10m contract.
▪ cancel/end/terminate a contract
The buyer has three days in which to cancel the contract.
▪ renew sb’s contract (=give someone another contract when their old one ends)
I hope they will renew my contract at the end of the year.
■ adjectives
▪ a one-year/two-year etc contract
He signed a five-year contract worth $2 million.
▪ a recording/building etc contract
The band was soon offered a recording contract with Columbia Records.
▪ a written contract
All employees should have a written contract.
■ phrases
▪ a contract of employment ( also an employment contract )
Make sure you fully understand your contract of employment.
▪ the terms of a contract (=the conditions that are part of the contract)
He explained the terms of the contract.
▪ breach of contract (=an action that your contract does not allow)
They are suing the building company for breach of contract.
▪ be in breach of contract (=have done something that your contract does not allow)
II. con ‧ tract 2 AC /kənˈtrækt/ BrE AmE verb
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: contractus , past participle of contrahere 'to pull together, make a contract, make smaller' , from com- ( ⇨ COM- ) + trahere 'to pull' ]
1 . [intransitive] to become smaller or narrower OPP expand :
Metal contracts as it cools.
The economy has contracted by 2.5% since last year.
2 . [transitive] formal to get an illness SYN catch :
Two-thirds of the adult population there have contracted AIDS.
3 . [intransitive and transitive] to sign a contract in which you agree formally that you will do something or someone will do something for you
contract (somebody) to do something
They are contracted to work 35 hours a week.
the company that had been contracted to build the models
contract (with) somebody for something
Doctors control their budgets and contract with hospitals for services.
contract a marriage/alliance etc (=agree to marry someone, form a relationship with them etc)
Most of the marriages were contracted when the brides were very young.
III. contract 3 /ˈkɒntrækt $ ˈkɑːn-/ BrE AmE
contract in phrasal verb British English
1 . contract somebody/something ↔ in to arrange for a person or company outside your own organization to come in and do a particular job:
We contract in cleaning services.
2 . formal to agree officially to take part in something:
The rules require all members to contract in.
contract out phrasal verb
1 . contract something ↔ out to arrange to have a job done by a person or company outside your own organization
contract something ↔ out to
We contracted the catering out to an outside firm.
2 . British English to agree officially not to take part in something such as a ↑ pension plan