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¹contract

noun con·tract \ˈkän-ˌtrakt\

: a legal agreement between people, companies, etc.

: a document on which the words of a contract are written

: an agreement to kill a person for money

Full Definition of CONTRACT

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

: a document describing the terms of a contract

: the final bid to win a specified number of tricks in bridge

: an order or arrangement for a hired assassin to kill someone <his enemies put out a contract on him>

See contract defined for English-language learners

See contract defined for kids

Origin of CONTRACT

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin contractus, from contrahere to draw together, make a contract, reduce in size, from com- + trahere to draw

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to CONTRACT

Synonyms: bond, guarantee, covenant, deal, guaranty, surety, warranty

Other Business Terms

amortize, caveat emptor, clearinghouse, divest, due diligence, emolument, green-collar, marque, overhead, perquisite

Rhymes with CONTRACT

abstract, attract, class act, compact, contact, crookbacked, detract, didact, diffract, distract, enact, entr'acte, epact, exact, extract, humpbacked, hunchbacked, impact, infract, intact, mossbacked, playact, protract, react, redact, refract, retract, sex act, subtract, swaybacked, transact, unbacked

²contract

verb con·tract \vt 2a & vi 1 usually ˈkän-ˌtrakt, others usually kən-ˈ\

: to make (something) smaller or shorter

: to become smaller

: to become ill with (a disease)

Full Definition of CONTRACT

transitive verb

a : to bring on oneself especially inadvertently : incur <contracting debts>

b : to become affected with <contract pneumonia>

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

a : limit, restrict <contract the scope of their activities>

b : knit, wrinkle <frown contracted his brow>

c : to draw together : concentrate

: to reduce to smaller size by or as if by squeezing or forcing together <contract a muscle>

: to shorten (as a word) by omitting one or more sounds or letters

intransitive verb

: to make a contract

: 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>

— con·tract·ibil·i·ty \kən-ˌtrak-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē, ˌkän-\ noun

— con·tract·ible \kən-ˈtrak-tə-bəl, ˈkän-ˌ\ adjective

See contract defined for English-language learners

Origin of CONTRACT

Middle English, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French contracter to agree upon, from Latin contractus

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to CONTRACT

Synonyms: catch, come down (with), get, go down (with) [chiefly British], sicken (with), take

Antonyms: balloon, expand, snowball, swell

Synonym Discussion of CONTRACT

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>.

³contract

adjective

Definition of CONTRACT

: hired to execute a contract <a contract worker> <a contract killer>

First Known Use of CONTRACT

1936

CONTRACTED Defined for Kids

¹contract

noun con·tract \ˈkän-ˌtrakt\

Definition of CONTRACT for Kids

: a legal agreement

: a written document that shows the terms and conditions of a legal agreement

²contract

verb con·tract \kən-ˈtrakt, 1 is also ˈkän-ˌtrakt\

con·tract·edcon·tract·ing

Definition of CONTRACT for Kids

: to agree by contract <The property's owner contracted to build a house.>

: to become sick with : catch <contract pneumonia>

: to draw together and make shorter and broader <contract a muscle>

: to make or become smaller : shrink <Cold metal contracts.>

: to make (as a word) shorter by dropping sounds or letters

Medical Dictionary

contract

transitive verb con·tract \kən-ˈtrakt also ˈkän-ˌtrakt\

Medical Definition of CONTRACT

: to become affected with <contract pneumonia>

: to reduce to smaller size by or as if by squeezing or drawing together <treatment…inhibits spindle formation and contracts chromosomes—Ernst Mayr>

of a muscle or muscle fiber : to cause to undergo contraction; especially : to cause to shorten and thicken

intransitive verb

: to draw together so as to become diminished in size

of a muscle or muscle fiber : to undergo contraction; especially : to shorten and thicken