contract

¹con·tract

noun \ˈkän-ˌtrakt\

Definition of CONTRACT

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>

Examples of CONTRACT

1. The contract requires him to finish work by the end of the year.
2. I tore up the contract.
3. Have you signed the contract yet?

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

Related Words

oath, pledge, troth, vow, word; accord, bargain, compact, concordat, convention, pact, treaty; assurance, insurance, seal; bail, deposit, pawn, security

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

²con·tract

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

Definition of CONTRACT

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>

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

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

Examples of CONTRACT

1. She contracted her lips into a frown.
2. The muscle expands and then contracts.
3. The hot metal contracted as it cooled.

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

Related Words

break out (with); die (from), succumb (to); fail, languish, sink, waste (away), weaken, wilt, wither, worsen

Near Antonyms

come back, gain, heal, mend, recoup, recover, recuperate, snap back; rally, rebound, recover (from), shake (off)

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

con·tract

transitive verb \kən-ˈtrakt also ˈkän-ˌtrakt\   (Medical Dictionary)

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-\ (audio pronunciation) noun, plural ; con·tract·ibil·i·ties

—con·tract·ible \kən-ˈtrak-tə-bəl, ˈkän-ˌ\ (audio pronunciation) adjective

contract

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Agreement between two or more parties that creates for each party a duty to do something (e.g., to provide goods at a certain price according to a specified schedule) or a duty not to do something (e.g., to divulge an employer's trade secrets or financial status to third parties). A party's failure to honour a contract allows the other party or parties to bring an action for damages in a court of law, though arbitration may also be pursued in an effort to keep the matter confidential. In order to be valid, a contract must be entered into both willingly and freely. A contract that violates this principle, including one made with a legal minor or a person deemed mentally incompetent, may be declared unenforceable. A contract also must have a lawful objective.