Nearby Words

contrivable

[kuhn-trahyv] Origin

con·trive

[kuhn-trahyv] verb, -trived, -triv·ing.
verb (used with object)
1.
to plan with ingenuity; devise; invent: The author contrived a clever plot.
2.
to bring about or effect by a plan, scheme, or the like; manage: He contrived to gain their votes.
3.
to plot (evil, treachery, etc.).
verb (used without object)
4.
to form designs; plan.
5.
to plot.

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Contrivable is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.

Origin:
1275–1325; Middle English contreven < Middle French contreuv-, tonic stem of controver to devise, invent, Old French: to decide, agree upon < Late Latin contropāre to compare, equivalent to con- con- + *tropāre (> French trouver to find; see trover); development of vowel unclear

con·triv·a·ble, adjective
con·triv·er, noun
pre·con·trive, verb, -trived, -triv·ing.
un·con·triv·ing, adjective


1. design, concoct. See prepare. 3. conspire, scheme. 5. connive.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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World English Dictionary
contrive (kənˈtraɪv)
 
vb
1.  (tr) to manage (something or to do something), esp by means of a trick; engineer: he contrived to make them meet
2.  (tr) to think up or adapt ingeniously or elaborately: he contrived a new mast for the boat
3.  to plot or scheme (treachery, evil, etc)
 
[C14: from Old French controver, from Late Latin contropāre to represent by figures of speech, compare, from Latin com- together + tropus figure of speech, trope]
 
con'trivable
 
adj
 
con'triver
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

contrive
early 14c., from O.Fr. controver "to find out, contrive, imagine," from V.L. contropare "to compare" (via a figure of speech), from L. com- "with" + tropus "song, musical mode," from Gk. tropos "figure of speech" (see trope). Sense evolution (in French) was from "invent with
EXPAND
ingenuity" to "invent falsely." Related: Contrived (c.1400); contriving (early 14c.); contrivance (1620s).
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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