contract
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English [edit]
Etymology 1 [edit]
From Middle English, from Old French contract, from Latin contractum, past participle of contrahere (“to bring together, to bring about, to conclude a bargain”), from con- (“with, together”) + trahere (“to draw, to pull”).
Pronunciation [edit]
- enPR: kŏn'trăkt
- (RP) IPA: /ˈkɒntrækt/, X-SAMPA: /"kQntr{kt/
- (US) IPA: /ˈkɑntrækt/, X-SAMPA: /"kAntr{kt/
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Audio (US) (file) -
Audio (UK) (file) -
Audio (UK) (file)
Noun [edit]
contract (plural contracts)
- 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.
- (law) 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.
- (law) A part of legal studies dealing with laws and jurisdiction related to contracts.
- (informal) An order, usually given to a hired assassin, to kill someone.
- The mafia boss put a contract out on the man who betrayed him.
- The declarer's undertaking to win the number of tricks bid with a stated suit as trump
Hypernyms [edit]
- (agreement that is legally binding): agreement
Hyponyms [edit]
- (agreement that is legally binding): bailment
Derived terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
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Adjective [edit]
contract (not comparable)
- (obsolete) Contracted; affianced; betrothed.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)
Etymology 2 [edit]
From Middle English, from Middle French contracter, from Latin contractum, past participle of contrahere (“to bring together, to bring about, to conclude a bargain”), from con- (“with, together”) + trahere (“to draw, to pull”). the verb developed after the noun, and originally meant only "draw together"; the sense "make a contract with" developed later.
Pronunciation [edit]
Verb [edit]
contract (third-person singular simple present contracts, present participle contracting, simple past and past participle contracted)
- (intransitive) To draw together or nearer; to shorten, narrow, or lessen.
- The snail's body contracted into its shell.
- Wordsworth
- Years contracting to a moment.
- (transitive) To enter into a contract with.
- (intransitive) To make an agreement or contract; to covenant; to agree; to bargain.
- to contract for carrying the mail
- (transitive) To gain or acquire (an illness).
- 1999, Davidson C. Umeh, Protect Your Life: A Health Handbook for Law Enforcement Professionals (page 69)
- An officer contracted hepatitis B and died after handling the blood-soaked clothing of a homicide victim […]
- 1999, Davidson C. Umeh, Protect Your Life: A Health Handbook for Law Enforcement Professionals (page 69)
Synonyms [edit]
- (lessen): abate, decrease, lessen, reduce
- (shorten): shorten, shrink
- (gain or acquire (an illness)): catch, get
Antonyms [edit]
Translations [edit]
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Dutch [edit]
Noun [edit]
contract n (plural contracten, diminutive contractje)
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old French
- English terms derived from Latin
- English nouns
- en:Law
- English informal terms
- English adjectives
- English uncomparable adjectives
- English terms with obsolete senses
- English terms derived from Middle French
- English verbs
- English heteronyms
- Dutch nouns