contract Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun a binding agreement between two or more persons that is enforceable by law
noun (contract bridge) the highest bid becomes the contract setting the number of tricks that the bidder must make
declaration.
noun a variety of bridge in which the bidder receives points toward game only for the number of tricks he bid
contract bridge.
verb enter into a contractual arrangement
undertake.
verb engage by written agreement
sign up; sign on; sign.
- They signed two new pitchers for the next season
verb squeeze or press together
compact; compress; press; constrict; squeeze.
- she compressed her lips
- the spasm contracted the muscle
verb be stricken by an illness, fall victim to an illness
take; get.
- He got AIDS
- She came down with pneumonia
- She took a chill
verb become smaller or draw together
shrink.
- The fabric shrank
- The balloon shrank
verb make smaller
- The heat contracted the woollen garment
verb compress or concentrate
concentrate; condense.
- Congress condensed the three-year plan into a six-month plan
verb make or become more narrow or restricted
narrow.
- The selection was narrowed
- The road narrowed
verb reduce in scope while retaining essential elements
reduce; cut; abbreviate; abridge; shorten; foreshorten.
- The manuscript must be shortened

L. contractus, p.p. of contrahere to contract; con- + trahere to draw: cf. F. contracter. See Trace, and cf. Contract, n.

imperfect & past participle Contracted; present participle & verbal noun Contracting

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.
To draw together so as to wrinkle; to knit.
Thou didst contract and purse thy brow. Shak.
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 statir. Swift.
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.
To betroth; to affiance.
The truth is, she and I, long since contracted, Are now so sure, that nothing can dissolve us. Shak.
(Gram.) 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.

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

L. contractus, p.p.

L. contractus, fr. contrahere: cf. F. contrat, formerly also contract.

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