Medical Dictionary
contract
vt con·tract \kən-ˈtrakt also ˈkän-ˌtrakt\
Medical Definition of CONTRACT
1
: to become affected with <contract pneumonia>
2
: to reduce to smaller size by or as if by squeezing or drawing together <treatment…inhibits spindle formation and contracts chromosomes—Ernst Mayr>
3
of a muscle or muscle fiber : to cause to undergo contraction; especially : to cause to shorten and thicken
intransitive verb
1
: to draw together so as to become diminished in size
2
of a muscle or muscle fiber : to undergo contraction; especially : to shorten and thicken
—con·tract·ibil·i·ty \kən-ˌtrak-tə-ˈbil-ət-ē, ˌkän-\ noun, plural con·tract·ibil·i·ties
—con·tract·ible \kən-ˈtrak-tə-bəl, ˈkän-ˌ\ adjective
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