contract

I. 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. 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 <

contracting 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 contracted 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 contracts on cooling

>; also to become less in compass, duration, or length <

muscle contracts in tetanus

> • contractibility noun • contractible 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

>