contract

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   An agreement between two or more parties, to perform a specific job or work order, often…

   An agreement between two or more parties, to perform a specific job or work order, often temporary or of fixed duration and usually governed by a written agreement.

   • sign a contract
   • write up a contract
   • read a contract
2. 2

   An agreement which the law will enforce in some way. A legally binding contract must…

   An agreement which the law will enforce in some way. A legally binding contract must contain at least one promise, i.e., a commitment or offer, by an offeror to and accepted by an offeree to do something in the future. A contract is thus executory rather than executed.

3. 3

   The document containing such an agreement.

4. ›+ 14 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      A part of legal studies dealing with laws and jurisdiction related to contracts.

   2. 5

      An order, usually given to a hired assassin, to kill someone.

      • The mafia boss put a contract out on the man who betrayed him.
   3. 6

      The declarer's undertaking to win the number of tricks bid with a stated suit as trump.

   4. 7

      Contracted

      Contracted; affianced; betrothed.

      • But thou, contracted to thine own bright eyes, feed'st thy light's flame with self-substantial fuel
   5. 8

      Not abstract

      Not abstract; concrete.

      • But now in eche kinde of these, there are certaine nombers named Abſtracte: and other called nombers Contracte.
   6. 9

      To draw together or nearer

      To draw together or nearer; to shorten, narrow, or lessen.

      • The snail’s body contracted into its shell.
      • to contract one’s sphere of action
      • We ſee in all things how deſuetude do's contract and narrow our faculties, ſo that we may apprehend only thoſe things wherein we are converſant.
   7. 10

      To shorten by omitting a letter or letters or by reducing two or more vowels or syllables…

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

      • The word “cannot” is often contracted into “can’t”.
   8. 11

      To make an agreement or contract

      To make an agreement or contract; to covenant.

      • The company contracted with the council to build 200 new houses.
   9. 12

      To enter into a contract with (someone or something).

      • We have just contracted new pest control services.
   10. 13

       To enter into (an agreement) with mutual obligations

       To enter into (an agreement) with mutual obligations; to make (an arrangement).

       • We have contracted an inviolable amitie, peace, and league with the aforesaid Queene.
       • Many persons […] had contracted marriage within the degrees of consanguinity […] prohibited by law.
   11. 14

       To bring on

       To bring on; to incur; to acquire.

       • She contracted the habit of smoking in her teens.
       • to contract a debt
       • Smit with the love of Siſter-arts we came, / And met congenial, mingling flame with flame; / Like friendly colours found our arts unite, / Each from each contract new ſtrength and light.
   12. 15

       To gain or acquire (an illness).

       • At that time, the city [Christiania, now Oslo] was in the grip of a cholera epidemic, and victims were dying at the rate of 60 a day. Bradshaw contracted the disease, and died on September 6 [1853].
       • An officer contracted hepatitis B and died after handling the blood-soaked clothing of a homicide victim […]
   13. 16

       To draw together so as to wrinkle

       To draw together so as to wrinkle; to knit.

       • And didſt contract, and purſe thy brow together, / As if thou then hadſt ſhut vp in thy braine, / Some horrible counſell: […]
   14. 17

       To betroth

       To betroth; to affiance.

       • The truth is, ſhe and I (long ſince contracted) / Are now ſo ſure that nothing can diſſolve vs: […]

The neighborhood

• antonymincreaseantonym(s) of “lessen”
• antonymexpandantonym(s) of “lessen”
• antonymgrowantonym(s) of “shorten”
• antonymlengthenantonym(s) of “shorten”