contract

con·tract (k

)

a. An agreement between two or more parties, especially one that is written and enforceable by law. See Synonyms at bargain.

b. The writing or document containing such an agreement.

2. The branch of law dealing with formal agreements between parties.

3. Marriage as a formal agreement; betrothal.

4. Games

a. The last and highest bid of a suit in one hand in bridge.

b. The number of tricks thus bid.

c. Contract bridge.

5. A paid assignment to murder someone: put out a contract on the mobster's life.

v. (k

n-tr

, k

) con·tract·ed, con·tract·ing, con·tracts

v.tr.

1. To enter into by contract; establish or settle by formal agreement: contract a marriage.

2. To acquire or incur: contract obligations; contract a serious illness.

a. To reduce in size by drawing together; shrink.

b. To pull together; wrinkle.

4. Grammar To shorten (a word or words) by omitting or combining some of the letters or sounds, as do not to don't.

v.intr.

1. To enter into or make an agreement: contract for garbage collection.

2. To become reduced in size by or as if by being drawn together: The pupils of the patient's eyes contracted.

Phrasal Verb:

contract out

To engage a person outside an organization by contract to undertake or produce.

[Middle English, from Latin contractus, past participle of contrahere, to draw together, make a contract : com-, com- + trahere, to draw.]

con·tracti·bili·ty, con·tracti·ble·ness n.

con·tracti·ble adj.

contract

Noun

1. a formal agreement between two or more parties

2. a document setting out a formal agreement

Verb

1. to make a formal agreement with (a person or company) to do or deliver (something)

2. to enter into (a relationship or marriage) formally: she had contracted an alliance with a wealthy man

3. to make or become smaller, narrower, or shorter

4. to become affected by (an illness)

5. to draw (muscles) together or (of muscles) to be drawn together

6. to shorten (a word or phrase) by omitting letters or syllables, usually indicated in writing by an apostrophe [Latin contractus agreement]

contractible adj

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun	1.	contract - a binding agreement between two or more persons that is enforceable by law clause, article - a separate section of a legal document (as a statute or contract or will) arbitration clause - a clause in a contract providing for arbitration of disputes arising under the contract reserve clause - a clause that used to be part of the contract with a professional athlete extending the contract for a year beyond its expiration; "the reserve clause was used to bind players to a particular ball club" adhesion contract, contract of adhesion - a contract that heavily restricts one party while leaving the other free (as some standard form printed contracts); implies inequality in bargaining power aleatory contract - a contract whose performance by one party depends on the occurrence of an uncertain contingent event (but if it is contingent on the outcome of a wager it is not enforceable) bilateral contract - a contract involving mutual promises (each party is both promisor and promisee) charter - a contract to hire or lease transportation conditional contract - a contract whose performance depends on a fact or event that affects legal relations cost-plus contract - a contract in which the contractor is paid his total cost plus a stated percentage of profit gambling contract - a contract whose performance by one party is contingent on the outcome of a bet; unenforceable by statute in most jurisdictions lease - a contract granting use or occupation of property during a specified time for a specified payment marriage contract, marriage settlement - a prenuptial agreement or contract output contract - a contract in which you promise to deliver your entire output to the other party who promises to accept it insurance policy, insurance, policy - written contract or certificate of insurance; "you should have read the small print on your policy" purchase agreement, purchase contract - a contract stating the terms of a purchase quasi contract - a contract created by law for reasons of justice without any expression of assent requirements contract - a contract in which you agree to purchase all your requirements of a particular sort from one party contract under seal, sealed instrument, special contract - a contract that is signed and has the (wax) seal of the signer attached service contract - a contract for maintenance services severable contract - a contract which, in the event of a breach by one of the parties, can be considered as several independent agreements expressed in a single instrument subcontract - a contract assigning to another party some obligations of a prior contract partnership - a contract between two or more persons who agree to pool talent and money and share profits or losses articles of agreement, shipping articles - a contract between crew and captain of a ship concession, grant - a contract granting the right to operate a subsidiary business; "he got the beer concession at the ball park" collective agreement, labor agreement, labor contract - contract between labor and management governing wages and benefits and working conditions employment agreement, employment contract - contract between employer and employee distribution agreement - a contract governing the marketing of an item of merchandise licensing agreement - contract giving someone the legal right to use a patent or trademark acquisition agreement, merger agreement - contract governing the merger of two or more companies contract of hazard, sale in gross - a sale of a tract of land as a whole without a warranty as to the acreage loophole - an ambiguity (especially one in the text of a law or contract) that makes it possible to evade a difficulty or obligation handclasp, handshake, handshaking, shake - grasping and shaking a person's hand (as to acknowledge an introduction or to agree on a contract) contract, declaration - (contract bridge) the highest bid becomes the contract setting the number of tricks that the bidder must make fine print, small print - the part of a contract that contains reservations and qualifications that are often printed in small type; "don't sign a contract without reading the fine print"
	2.	contract - (contract bridge) the highest bid becomes the contract setting the number of tricks that the bidder must make declaration bridge - any of various card games based on whist for four players contract - a binding agreement between two or more persons that is enforceable by law bidding, bid - (bridge) the number of tricks a bridge player is willing to contract to make
	3.	contract - a variety of bridge in which the bidder receives points toward game only for the number of tricks he bid contract bridge bridge - any of various card games based on whist for four players no-trump - a version of contract bridge in which no suit is designated as trump for the duration of the hand
Verb	1.	contract - enter into a contractual arrangement undertake promise, assure - make a promise or commitment stipulate - make an oral contract or agreement in the verbal form of question and answer that is necessary to give it legal force sign - be engaged by a written agreement; "He signed to play the casino on Dec. 18"; "The soprano signed to sing the new opera" specify, stipulate, condition, qualify - specify as a condition or requirement in a contract or agreement; make an express demand or provision in an agreement; "The will stipulates that she can live in the house for the rest of her life"; "The contract stipulates the dates of the payments" lease, rent - let for money; "We rented our apartment to friends while we were abroad" charter, hire, lease, rent - hold under a lease or rental agreement; of goods and services
	2.	contract - engage by written agreement; "They signed two new pitchers for the next season" sign on, sign up, sign hire, employ, engage - engage or hire for work; "They hired two new secretaries in the department"; "How many people has she employed?" contract out - assign a job to someone outside one's own business
	3.	contract - squeeze or press together; "she compressed her lips"; "the spasm contracted the muscle" constrict, compress, compact, press, squeeze choke, strangle - constrict (someone's) throat and keep from breathing prim - contract one's lips; "She primmed her lips after every bite of food" tighten - become tight or tighter; "The rope tightened" astringe - constrict or bind or draw together; "Lemon juice astringes the tissue in the mouth" strangulate - constrict a hollow organ or vessel so as to stop the flow of blood or air convulse - contract involuntarily, as in a spasm; "The muscles in her face convulsed" convulse - cause to contract; "The spasm convulses her facial muscles" bear down, overbear - contract the abdominal muscles during childbirth to ease delivery choke, gag, fret - be too tight; rub or press; "This neckband is choking the cat" scrag, choke - wring the neck of; "The man choked his opponent"
	4.	contract - be stricken by an illness, fall victim to an illness; "He got AIDS"; "She came down with pneumonia"; "She took a chill" get, take sicken, come down - get sick; "She fell sick last Friday, and now she is in the hospital" catch - contract; "did you catch a cold?" catch - contract; "did you catch a cold?"
	5.	contract - become smaller or draw together; "The fabric shrank"; "The balloon shrank" shrink decrease, diminish, lessen, fall - decrease in size, extent, or range; "The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester"; "The cabin pressure fell dramatically"; "her weight fell to under a hundred pounds"; "his voice fell to a whisper" flex - contract; "flex a muscle" expand, spread out - extend in one or more directions; "The dough expands"
	6.	contract - make smaller; "The heat contracted the woollen garment" shrink, reduce - reduce in size; reduce physically; "Hot water will shrink the sweater"; "Can you shrink this image?" wrinkle, purse - gather or contract into wrinkles or folds; pucker; "purse ones's lips"
	7.	contract - compress or concentrate; "Congress condensed the three-year plan into a six-month plan" concentrate, condense alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue" condense - become more compact or concentrated; "Her feelings condensed"
	8.	contract - make or become more narrow or restricted; "The selection was narrowed"; "The road narrowed" narrow change - undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature; "She changed completely as she grew older"; "The weather changed last night" bottleneck - become narrow, like a bottleneck; "Right by the bridge, the road bottlenecks" taper off - become smaller or less active; "Business tapered off"
	9.	contract - reduce in scope while retaining essential elements; "The manuscript must be shortened" abbreviate, abridge, foreshorten, shorten, reduce, cut bowdlerise, bowdlerize, expurgate, castrate, shorten - edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate; "bowdlerize a novel" edit out, edit, cut - cut and assemble the components of; "edit film"; "cut recording tape" condense, concentrate, digest - make more concise; "condense the contents of a book into a summary" minify, decrease, lessen - make smaller; "He decreased his staff" elaborate, expatiate, expound, lucubrate, dilate, flesh out, exposit, enlarge, expand - add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing; "She elaborated on the main ideas in her dissertation"