See Also: contract(encyclopedia)
Contract(law)
Take and pay contract(finance)
contract(dictionary)
Contract(health)
contract(1)(dictionary)
contract(2)(dictionary)
contract 3,(dictionary)
pre-contract(1)(dictionary)
pre-contract(2)(dictionary)

contract (iou)



contract verb. Pa. t. & pple -ed, (earlier) contract. LME.
[Orig. pa. pple: see CONTRACT adjective & noun2 Cf. Old & mod. French contracter.]
I. Agree on, make a contract.
verb trans. Formally enter into (marriage). LME.
I. Murdoch She wondered if having failed in one marriage she should hastily contract another.
b. Engage formally, affiance. M16.
Shakespeare Winter's Tale But come on, Contract us fore these witnesses.
verb trans. gen. Agree on, establish by agreement, undertake mutually, enter on. Now rare. M16.
R. Hakluyt We have contracted an inviolable amitie, peace and league with the aforesaid queene.
verb intrans. Enter into an agreement (to do, for an action, a thing to be done, etc.), esp. a business or legal engagement. M16.
Evelyn This Dutchman had contracted with the Genoese for all their marble. S. Unwin Harrison..had contracted with my uncle to write a book.
verb trans. Arrange (work) to be done by contract; let out by contract. L19.
b. Place under contract (for). M20.
verb intrans. & refl.
a. Foll. by out (of): arrange for one's exemption or exclusion from (the provisions of a law etc.); decline or refuse to take part in (a scheme etc.). L19.
b. Foll. by in(to): arrange for one's subjection to (the provisions of a law etc.); agree to take part in (a scheme etc.). E20.
II.
verb trans. Enter into, form (a friendship, a habit, etc.); bring on oneself; incur (a liability, debt, etc.); become infected with, catch (a disease, illness). LME.
S. Pepys And he contract the displeasure of the world. Chesterfield Contract a habit of correctness and elegance. G. Gissing He died of a cold contracted on one of his walks.
III. Draw together, narrow, shrink.
verb trans. Bring together, collect, concentrate. LME-L18.
B. Harris The king contracted formidable forces near Sedan.
verb trans. Cause to shrink, bring the parts of (a muscle etc.) together; knit (the brow); stiffen by contraction. E16.
Shakespeare Timon of Athens Aches contract and starve your supple joints! J. Steinbeck The house cracked loudly as the cooler night air contracted the wood.
verb trans. Reduce in extent, amount, or scope; make smaller, narrow; limit, confine. L16.
S. Johnson Selfishness has contracted their understandings. W. Lippmann The economic area must be contracted to exclude competitors.
b. Linguistics. Shorten (a word, syllable, etc.) by combination or elision of elements. E17.
c. Abridge, summarize; refl. write or speak briefly. E17-M18.
verb intrans. Become smaller in extent or volume; shorten, shrink. M17.
J. Tyndall In passing from the solid to the liquid state, ice..contracts. B. Rubens His stomach contracted..in agonizing cramps.
contractable adjective liable to be contracted L19.
contractant noun (rare) a contracting party M16.
contracti'bility noun the quality of being contractible M18.
contractible adjective capable of contracting, contractile M17.
contractive adjective having the property of contracting; of the nature of contraction; tending to produce contraction: E17.