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Cut or shortened, especially of a literary work
Having formally agreed to marry
Subject to an indenture
Having been reduced in force, effect, or value
Having been firmly agreed upon
Having been reserved or scheduled
Used in exchange for payment to the owner
Actively engaged in employment
Restricted or low in size or space
Reduced in size as a result of shrinkage
Ignorant of or uninterested in cultures, ideas, or peoples outside one's own experience
Deliberately designed according to a plan
Physically unyielding, taut or stiff
(of an illness) To have caught or contracted
“There are numerous ways to contract the disease that you should be aware of.”
To have established or stipulated as a previous condition
Past tense for to enter into a formal and legally binding agreement
“An importer will contract with us to purchase these goods.”
Past tense for to hire or be hired
“We have decided to contract several engineers to ensure that the project is completed in a timely manner.”
Past tense for to decrease in size, number, or range
“Advice from analysts that the market will contract by several million gives cause for concern.”
Past tense for to decrease or diminish gradually
“The sizes of individual components appear to contract with time.”
Past tense for to shorten (a word or phrase) by combination or elision
“In the eighteenth century, linguists would contract Hocus Pocus into what we refer today as a hoax.”
Past tense for to become liable to pay
“The minister of Finance has the mandate to contract debts for the nation whenever the need arises.”
(of a muscle) Past tense for to become shorter and tighter in order to effect movement of part of the body
“Electrical stimulation is used to cause the heart muscles to contract or pump.”
Past tense for to draw together so as to wrinkle
“She would contract her brow after each bout, and then regurgitate what had become her favorite word.”
Related Words and Phrases
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