[con.tour] n [F, fr. It contorno, fr. contornare to round off, fr. ML, to turn around, fr. L com- + tornare to turn on a lathe--more at turn] (1662) 1: an outline esp. of a curving or irregular figure: shape; also: the line representing this outline
2: the general form or structure of something: characteristic--often used in pl. "~s of a melody" "to delineate the tortured psychological ~s of the tribal past --B. J. Phillips"
3: a usu. meaningful change in intonation in speech syn see outline
[2]contour adj (1844) 1: following contour lines or forming furrows or ridges along them "~ flooding" "~ farming"
2: made to fit the contour of something "a ~ couch" "~ sheets" [3]contour vt (1871) 1 a: to shape the contour of b: to shape so as to fit contours
2: to construct (as a road) in conformity to a contour