contrivance Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a device or control that is very useful for a particular job
    contraption; gismo; gadget; appliance; widget; convenience; gizmo.
  2. noun the faculty of contriving; inventive skill
    • his skillful contrivance of answers to every problem
  3. noun an elaborate or deceitful scheme contrived to deceive or evade
    dodge; stratagem.
    • his testimony was just a contrivance to throw us off the track
  4. noun an artificial or unnatural or obviously contrived arrangement of details or parts etc.
    • the plot contained too many improbable contrivances to be believable
  5. noun any improvised arrangement for temporary use
    lash-up.
  6. noun the act of devising something
    devisal.

WordNet

Con*triv"ance noun
Definitions
  1. The act or faculty of contriving, inventing, devising, or planning.
    The machine which we are inspecting demonstrates, by its construction, contrivance and design. Contrivance must have had a contriver. Paley.
  2. The thing contrived, invented, or planned; disposition of parts or causes by design; a scheme; plan; atrifice; arrangement.
    Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants. Burke.
    Syn. -- Device; plan; scheme; invention; machine; project; design; artifice; shift. See Device.

Webster 1913