|
The process of becoming smaller in size
“This leads to a contraction in the size of the financial sector.”
The process of compacting something into a smaller size
“It may be passive dilatation or contraction of the blood vessels by the change of the hydrostatic pressure.”
The process of becoming smaller in amount, level or degree
“As the inevitable consolidation process proceeds in response to the many pressures that the industry faces, job contraction may be inevitable.”
The process of narrowing in width
“The completion of the west jetty caused a contraction in the width of the mouth of the river.”
The process in which a muscle becomes or is made shorter and tighter
“The force of contraction declines slightly as it advances, reaching a nadir at about the level where the muscle becomes smooth muscle.”
A physical or muscular spasm or convulsion
“He walked alongside Frankie's wheelchair, biting his lip every time she experienced a contraction.”
A shortening of the uterine muscles occurring at intervals before and during childbirth
“It was comforting to hear the other woman sharing a blood-curdling scream every time she experienced a contraction. It caused us to feel warm and fuzzy as we realized that would be us in a matter of hours.”
The process of shortening a word or text
“The text of Obadiah can thus be understood as a contraction of the text of Jeremiah, the latter no doubt being familiar to his audience.”
A word or group of words resulting from shortening an original form
“It's just a dubious contraction of a common word.”
A reduction or curtailment, especially of business operations or staff
A major change in appearance or form
A crease or fold in something, especially fabric or the skin
Related Words and Phrases
|
