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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Contract \Con*tract"\ (k[o^]n*tr[a^]kt"), verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Contracted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Contracting}.] [L. contractus, p. p. of contrahere to contract; con- + trahere to draw: cf. F. contracter. See {Trace}, and cf. {Contract}, noun]
1. To draw together or nearer; to reduce to a less compass; to shorten, narrow, or lessen; as, to contract one's sphere 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 station. --Swift.
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.) 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.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
contracting \contracting\ n. the act or process of acquiring an infectious disease; contraction; as, the contracting of a serious illness can be financially catastrophic.
Syn: catching. [WordNet 1.5]
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
contracting
noun: becoming infected; "catching cold is sometimes unavoidable"; "the contracting of a serious illness can be financially catastrophic" [syn: {catching}]
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Definitions retrieved from local copies of the freely distributed DICT client/server software and databases. Click here for database copyright information. - KM |