I. ˈkän-ˌtrakt noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin contractus, from contrahere to draw together, make a contract, reduce in size, from com- + trahere to draw
Date: 14th century
1.
a. : a binding agreement between two or more persons or parties ; especially : one legally enforceable
b. : a business arrangement for the supply of goods or services at a fixed price
make parts on contract
c. : the act of marriage or an agreement to marry
2. : a document describing the terms of a contract
3. : the final bid to win a specified number of tricks in bridge
4. : an order or arrangement for a hired assassin to kill someone
his enemies put out a contract on him
II. vt 2a & vi 1 usu ˈkän-ˌtrakt, others usu kən-ˈ verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French contracter to agree upon, from Latin contractus
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1.
a. : to bring on oneself especially inadvertently : incur
contract ing debts
b. : to become affected with
contract pneumonia
2.
a. : to establish or undertake by contract
contract a job
b. : betroth ; also : to establish (a marriage) formally
c.
(1) : to hire by contract
contract a lawyer
(2) : to purchase (as goods or services) on a contract basis — often used with out
3.
a. : limit , restrict
contract the scope of their activities
b. : knit , wrinkle
frown contract ed his brow
c. : to draw together : concentrate
4. : to reduce to smaller size by or as if by squeezing or forcing together
contract a muscle
5. : to shorten (as a word) by omitting one or more sounds or letters
intransitive verb
1. : to make a contract
2. : to draw together so as to become diminished in size
metal contract s on cooling
also : to become less in compass, duration, or length
muscle contract s in tetanus
• con·tract·ibil·i·ty kən-ˌtrak-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē, ˌkän- noun
• con·tract·ible kən-ˈtrak-tə-bəl, ˈkän-ˌ adjective
Synonyms:
contract , shrink , condense , compress , constrict , deflate mean to decrease in bulk or volume. contract applies to a drawing together of surfaces or particles or a reduction of area or length
caused her muscles to contract
shrink implies a contracting or a loss of material and stresses a falling short of original dimensions
the sweater will shrink when washed
condense implies a reducing of something homogeneous to greater compactness without significant loss of content
condense the essay into a paragraph
compress implies a pressing into a small compass and definite shape usually against resistance
compressed cotton into bales
constrict implies a tightening that reduces diameter
the throat is constricted by a tight collar
deflate implies a contracting by reducing the internal pressure of contained air or gas
deflate the balloon
III. adjective
Date: 1936
: hired to execute a contract
a contract worker
a contract killer