Contract — Defs

01 v. t. To draw together or nearer; to reduce to a less compass; to shorten, narrow, or lessen; as, to contract one's sphere of action.

imp. & p. p. Contracted; p. pr. & vb. n. Contracting

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.
To shorten by omitting a letter or letters or by reducing two or more vowels or syllables to one.(Gram.)

02 v. i. To be drawn together so as to be diminished in size or extent; to shrink; to be reduced in compass or in duration; as, iron contracts in co…

1.
To be drawn together so as to be diminished in size or extent; to shrink; to be reduced in compass or in duration; as, iron contracts in cooling; a rope contracts when wet.
“Years contracting to a moment.” — Wordsworth.
2.
To make an agreement; to covenant; to agree; to bargain; as, to contract for carrying the mail.

03 a. Contracted; as, a contract verb.

04 a. Contracted; affianced; betrothed.

05 n. The agreement of two or more persons, upon a sufficient consideration or cause, to do, or to abstain from doing, some act; an agreement in …

1.
The agreement of two or more persons, upon a sufficient consideration or cause, to do, or to abstain from doing, some act; an agreement in which a party undertakes to do, or not to do, a particular thing; a formal bargain; a compact; an interchange of legal rights.(Law)
2.
A formal writing which contains the agreement of parties, with the terms and conditions, and which serves as a proof of the obligation.
3.
The act of formally betrothing a man and woman.
“This is the the night of the contract.” — Longwellow.