CONTRACTS

Noun

contracts

plural of contract

Verb

contracts

Third-person singular simple present indicative form of contract

Source: Wiktionary


CONTRACT

Con*tract", v. t. [imp. & p.p. Contracted; p.pr. & vb.n. Contracting.] Etym: [L. contractus, p.p. of contrahere to contract; con- + trahere to draw: cf. F. contracter. See Trace, and cf. Contract, n.]

1. To draw together or nearer; to reduce to a less compass; to shorten, narrow, or lesen; as, to contract one's shpere of action. In all things desuetude doth contract and narrow our faculties. Dr. H. More.

2. To draw together so as to wrinkle; to knit. Thou didst contract and purse thy brow. Shak.

3. To bring on; to incur; to acquire; as, to contract a habit; to contract a debt; to contract a disease. Each from each contract new strength and light. Pope. Such behavior we contract by having much conversed with persons of high statiSwift.

4. To enter into, with mutual obligations; to make a bargain or covenant for. We have contracted an inviolable amity, peace, and lague with the aforesaid queen. Hakluyt. Many persons . . . had contracted marriage within the degrees of consanguinity . . . prohibited by law. Strype.

5. To betroth; to affiance. The truth is, she and I, long since contracted, Are now so sure, that nothing can dissolve us. Shak.

6. (Gram.)

Definition: To shorten by omitting a letter or letters or by reducing two or more vowels or syllables to one.

Syn.

– To shorten; abridge; epitomize; narrow; lessen; condense; reduce; confine; incur; assume.

Con*tract", v. i.

1. To be drawn together so as to be diminished in size or extent; to shrink; to be reduced in compass or in duration; as, iron contracts in cooling; a rope contracts when wet. Years contracting to a moment. Wordsworth.

2. To make an agreement; to covenant; to agree; to bargain; as, to contract for carrying the mail.

Con"tract, a.

Definition: Contracted: as, a contract verb. Goodwin.

Con*tract", a. Etym: [L. contractus, p.p.]

Definition: Contracted; affianced; betrothed. [Obs.] Shak.

Con"tract, n. Etym: [L. contractus, fr. contrahere: cf. F. contrat, formerly also contract.]

1. (Law)

Definition: The agreement of two or more persons, upon a sufficient consideration or cause, to do, or to abstain from doing, some act; an agreement in which a party undertakes to do, or not to do, a particular thing; a formal bargain; a compact; an interchange of legal rights. Wharton.

2. A formal writing which contains the agreement of parties, with the terms and conditions, and which serves as a proof of the obligation.

3. The act of formally betrothing a man and woman. This is the the night of the contract. Longwellow.

Syn.

– Covenant; agreement; compact; stipulation; bargain; arrangement; obligation. See Covenant.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

4 March 2025

HYDRAULIC

(adjective) moved or operated or effected by liquid (water or oil); “hydraulic erosion”; “hydraulic brakes”


coffee icon

Coffee Trivia

According to WorldAtlas, Canada is the only non-European country to make its top ten list of coffee consumers. The United States at a distant 25 on the list.

coffee icon