con ‧ trive /kənˈtraɪv/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: controver , from Late Latin contropare ]
1 . formal to succeed in doing something in spite of difficulties
contrive to do something
Schindler contrived to save more than 1,000 Polish Jews from the Nazis.
2 . to arrange an event or situation in a clever way, especially secretly or by deceiving people:
The lawsuit says oil companies contrived the oil shortage in the 1970s.
3 . to make or invent something in a skilful way, especially because you need it suddenly:
In 1862, a technique was contrived to take a series of photographs showing stages of movement.