con·tract
ˈkän-ˌtrakt
1
a
: a binding agreement between two or more persons or parties
especially
: one legally enforceable
If he breaks the contract, he'll be sued.
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
Have you signed the contract yet?
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.
con·tract
transitive verb sense 2a and intransitive verb sense 1 usually
ˈkän-ˌtrakt
other senses usually
kən-ˈtrakt
contracted; contracting; contracts
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 (goods, services, etc.) on a contract basis
—often used with out
3
c
: to draw together : concentrate
He contracted his armies into one force
4
: to reduce to smaller size by or as if by squeezing or forcing together
contract a muscle
5
: to shorten (a word) by omitting one or more sounds or letters
Contract "forecastle" to "fo'c'sle."
1
: to make a contract
The builder contracted with them to build a deck.
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.
: hired to execute a contract (see contract entry 1 sense 1a)
a contract worker
a contract killer
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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