con·trac·tion

(kən-trăk′shən)

1. The act of contracting or the state of being contracted.

a. A word, as won't from will not, or phrase, as o'clock from of the clock, formed by omitting or combining some of the sounds of a longer phrase.

b. The formation of such a word.

a. Physiology The shortening and thickening of functioning muscle or muscle fiber.

b. Any of a series of sudden and involuntary tightenings of the uterine muscles occurring before or during childbirth.

4. A period of decreased business activity.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

contraction

(kənˈtrækʃən)

1. an instance of contracting or the state of being contracted

2. (Physiology) physiol any normal shortening or tensing of an organ or part, esp of a muscle, e.g. during childbirth

3. (Pathology) pathol any abnormal tightening or shrinking of an organ or part

4. (Linguistics) a shortening of a word or group of words, often marked in written English by an apostrophe: I've come for I have come.

conˈtractive adj

conˈtractively adv

conˈtractiveness n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

con•trac•tion

(kənˈtræk ʃən)

n.

1. an act or instance of contracting.

2. the quality or state of being contracted.

3. a shortened form of a word or group of words, with the omitted letters often replaced in written English by an apostrophe, as isn't for is not, they're for they are, e'er for ever.

4. the change in a muscle by which it becomes thickened and shortened.

5. a decrease in economic and industrial activity.

[1375–1425; (< Middle French) < Latin contractiō=contrac-, variant s. of contrahere (see contract) + -tiō -tion]

con•trac′tion•al, adj.

con•trac′tive (-tɪv) adj.

con•trac′tive•ness, n.

usage: Contractions (isn't, couldn't, can't, he'll) occur chiefly, although not exclusively, in informal speech and writing. They are common in personal letters, business letters, journalism, and fiction; rare in scientific and scholarly writing. Contractions in formal writing usu. represent speech.

con·trac·tion

(kən-trăk′shən)

The shortening and thickening of a muscle in action. Contraction of the biceps of the arm causes the elbow to bend.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	contraction - (physiology) a shortening or tensing of a part or organ (especially of a muscle or muscle fiber) muscle contraction, muscular contraction shortening - act of decreasing in length; "the dress needs shortening" contracture - an abnormal and usually permanent contraction of a muscle tetanus - a sustained muscular contraction resulting from a rapid series of nerve impulses uterine contraction - a rhythmic tightening in labor of the upper uterine musculature that contracts the size of the uterus and pushes the fetus toward the birth canal Braxton-Hicks contraction, false labor - painless contractions of the muscles of the uterus that continue throughout pregnancy with increasing frequency physiology - the branch of the biological sciences dealing with the functioning of organisms
	2.	contraction - the process or result of becoming smaller or pressed together; "the contraction of a gas on cooling" compression, condensation shrinkage, shrinking - process or result of becoming less or smaller; "the material lost 2 inches per yard in shrinkage" coarctation, constriction - tight or narrow compression
	3.	contraction - a word formed from two or more words by omitting or combining some sounds; "`won't' is a contraction of `will not'"; "`o'clock' is a contraction of `of the clock'" word - a unit of language that native speakers can identify; "words are the blocks from which sentences are made"; "he hardly said ten words all morning"
	4.	contraction - the act of decreasing (something) in size or volume or quantity or scope reduction, step-down, diminution, decrease - the act of decreasing or reducing something enlargement, expansion - the act of increasing (something) in size or volume or quantity or scope

contraction

noun

1. tightening, narrowing, tensing, shortening, drawing in, constricting, shrinkage Cramp is caused by contraction of the muscles.

2. abbreviation, reduction, shortening, compression, diminution, constriction, elision `It's' is a contraction of `it is'.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

إخْتِصار لِكَلِمَة طَويلَهتَقَلُّص، إنْقِباض

smršťovánístahovánízkrácený tvar/slovo

sammentrækning

Abkürzung Zusammenziehen

σύσπαση συστολή

contracción

contraction

összehúz ás

samandreginnsamdráttur

contrazione

kortform sammentrekking

сокращение

stiahnutie

büzülmekasılmakısaltma

收缩缩约词

contraction

[kənˈtrækʃən] N → contracción f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

contraction

[kənˈtrækʃ^ən] n

[muscles] → contraction f

(in output, economy, size) → réduction f

[word] → forme f contractéecontract killer n → tueur m à gagescontract killing n → meurtre m commanditécontract of employment n → contrat m de travailcontract of service n → contrat m de service

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

contraction

(of metal, muscles) → Zusammenziehen nt, → Zusammenziehung f; (fig) → Schrumpfung f

(Ling) → Kontraktion f

(in childbirth) (labour) contractions → (Geburts)wehen pl; the contractions are coming strong → die Wehen sind stark

(form: = acquisition, of debts) → Ansammlung f; (of habit) → Entwicklung f, → Annahme f; his contraction of polio → seine Erkrankung an Kinderlähmung

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

contraction

[kənˈtrækʃ/ən] n → contrazione f; (of metal) → restringimento

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

contract

(kənˈtrӕkt) verb

1. to make or become smaller, less, shorter, tighter etc. Metals expand when heated and contract when cooled; `I am' is often contracted to `I'm'; Muscles contract.

2. ( American ˈkontrakt) to promise legally in writing. They contracted to supply us with cable.

3. to become infected with (a disease). He contracted malaria.

4. to promise (in marriage).

(ˈkontrӕkt) noun

a legal written agreement. He has a four-year contract (of employment) with us; The firm won a contract for three new aircraft.

conˈtraction (-ʃən) noun

1. an act of contracting. contraction of metals; contraction of muscles.

2. a word shortened in speech or spelling. `I'm' is a contraction of `I am'.

conˈtractor noun

a person or firm that promises to do work or supply goods at a fixed rate. a building contractor.

con·trac·tion

n. contracción;

after - ___ → ___ ulterior;

deep ___ → ___ de fondo;

hunger ___ → ___ de hambre;

muscular ___ → ___ muscular;

spasmodic ___ → ___ espasmódica.

contraction

n contracción f; Braxton-Hicks contractions contracciones de Braxton-Hicks, falsos dolores de parto; premature atrial — (PAC) contracción auricular prematura (CAP); premature ventricular — (PVC) contracción ventricular prematura (CVP)

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

But supplementary to this, it has hypothetically occurred to me, that as ordinary fish possess what is called a swimming bladder in them, capable, at will, of distension or contraction; and as the Sperm Whale, as far as I know, has no such provision in him; considering, too, the otherwise inexplicable manner in which he now depresses his head altogether beneath the surface, and anon swims with it high elevated out of the water; considering the unobstructed elasticity of its envelop; considering the unique interior of his head; it has hypothetically occurred to me, I say, that those mystical lung-celled honeycombs there may possibly have some hitherto unknown and unsuspected connexion with the outer air, so as to be susceptible to atmospheric distension and contraction.

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My thoughts are beginning to drift back to past times, and to things which are better forgotten." A sudden contraction crossed his livid face.

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A violent contraction of the lunar crust, while cooling, might suffice to imprint this gigantic star."

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Instances of lengthening are,--{pi omicron lambda eta omicron sigma} for {pi omicron lambda epsilon omega sigma}, and {Pi eta lambda eta iota alpha delta epsilon omega} for {Pi eta lambda epsilon iota delta omicron upsilon}: of contraction,--{kappa rho iota}, {delta omega}, and

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Behind every steel-like contraction of a muscle, lay another steel-like contraction, and another, and another, apparently without end.

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It is not the thickness of the fog; it is rather a contraction of the horizon, a mysterious veiling of the shores with clouds that seem to make a low-vaulted dungeon around the running ship.

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The dilation and contraction of the gas in the balloon is my means of locomotion, which calls for neither cumbersome wings, nor any other mechanical motor.

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"Pierre, give me the coffee," she said, addressing Petritsky, whom she called as a contraction of his surname, making no secret of her relations with him.

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Her complexion was sallow; and her features small, without beauty, and naturally without expression; but a lucky contraction of the brow had rescued her countenance from the disgrace of insipidity, by giving it the strong characters of pride and ill nature.

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I made out his prevailing qualities directly: self-confidence--because his head was well set on his shoulders, and his black eyes looked around with cold assurance; calmness--for his skin, rather pale, showed his coolness of blood; energy--evinced by the rapid contraction of his lofty brows; and courage--because his deep breathing denoted great power of lungs.

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Milady saw by the contraction of his countenance that the trigger was about to be pulled; she reached her hand quickly to her bosom, drew out a paper, and held it toward Athos.

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Presently there was only a small super-heated core of gaseous matter remaining within a huge vacant interior left by the contraction of the cooling gases.

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