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contracts - 2 dictionary results
con⋅tract
[n., adj., and usually for v. 15–17, 21, 22 kon-trakt; otherwise v. kuh
n-trakt] 
–noun
| 1. | an agreement between two or more parties for the doing or not doing of something specified. |
| 2. | an agreement enforceable by law. |
| 3. | the written form of such an agreement. |
| 4. | the division of law dealing with contracts. |
| 5. | Also called contract bridge. a variety of bridge in which the side that wins the bid can earn toward game only that number of tricks named in the contract, additional points being credited above the line. Compare auction bridge. |
| 6. | (in auction or contract bridge)
|
| 7. | the formal agreement of marriage; betrothal. |
| 8. | Slang. an arrangement for a hired assassin to kill a specific person. |
–adjective
| 9. | under contract; governed or arranged by special contract: a contract carrier. |
–verb (used with object)
| 10. | to draw together or into smaller compass; draw the parts of together: to contract a muscle. |
| 11. | to wrinkle: to contract the brows. |
| 12. | to shorten (a word, phrase, etc.) by combining or omitting some of its elements: Contracting “do not” yields “don't.” |
| 13. | to get or acquire, as by exposure to something contagious: to contract a disease. |
| 14. | to incur, as a liability or obligation: to contract a debt. |
| 15. | to settle or establish by agreement: to contract an alliance. |
| 16. | to assign (a job, work, project, etc.) by contract: The publisher contracted the artwork. |
| 17. | to enter into an agreement with: to contract a free-lancer to do the work. |
| 18. | to enter into (friendship, acquaintance, etc.). |
| 19. | to betroth. |
–verb (used without object)
—Verb phrase| 20. | to become drawn together or reduced in compass; become smaller; shrink: The pupils of his eyes contracted in the light. |
| 21. | to enter into an agreement: to contract for snow removal. |
| 22. | contract out, to hire an outside contractor to produce or do. |
| 23. | put out a contract on, Slang. to hire or attempt to hire an assassin to kill (someone): The mob put out a contract on the informer. |
Origin:
1275–1325; (n.) ME (< AF) < L contractus undertaking a transaction, agreement, equiv. to contrac-, var. s. of contrahere to draw in, bring together, enter into an agreement (con- con- + trahere to drag, pull; cf. traction ) + -tus suffix of v. action; (v.) < L contractus, ptp. of contrahere
1275–1325; (n.) ME (< AF) < L contractus undertaking a transaction, agreement, equiv. to contrac-, var. s. of contrahere to draw in, bring together, enter into an agreement (con- con- + trahere to drag, pull; cf. traction ) + -tus suffix of v. action; (v.) < L contractus, ptp. of contrahere
Related forms:
con⋅tract⋅ee, noun
con⋅tract⋅i⋅ble, adjective
con⋅tract⋅i⋅bil⋅i⋅ty, con⋅tract⋅i⋅ble⋅ness, noun
con⋅tract⋅i⋅bly, adverb
Synonyms:
1. See agreement. 10. reduce, shorten, lessen, narrow, shrivel, shrink. Contract, compress, concentrate, condense imply retaining original content but reducing the amount of space occupied. Contract means to cause to draw more closely together: to contract a muscle. Compress suggests fusing to become smaller by means of fairly uniform external pressure: to compress gases into liquid form. Concentrate implies causing to gather around a point: to concentrate troops near an objective; to concentrate one's strength. Condense implies increasing the compactness, or thickening the consistency of a homogeneous mass: to condense milk. It is also used to refer to the reducing in length of a book or the like.
1. See agreement. 10. reduce, shorten, lessen, narrow, shrivel, shrink. Contract, compress, concentrate, condense imply retaining original content but reducing the amount of space occupied. Contract means to cause to draw more closely together: to contract a muscle. Compress suggests fusing to become smaller by means of fairly uniform external pressure: to compress gases into liquid form. Concentrate implies causing to gather around a point: to concentrate troops near an objective; to concentrate one's strength. Condense implies increasing the compactness, or thickening the consistency of a homogeneous mass: to condense milk. It is also used to refer to the reducing in length of a book or the like.
Antonyms:
10. expand.
10. expand.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source
|
Link To contracts
| con·tract (kŏn'trākt') n.
v. tr.
contract outTo engage a person outside an organization by contract to undertake or produce. [Middle English, from Latin contractus, past participle of contrahere, to draw together, make a contract : com-, com- + trahere, to draw.] con·tract'i·bil'i·ty, con·tract'i·ble·ness n., con·tract'i·ble adj. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
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