Con*tract" (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Contracted; p.pr. & vb.n. Contracting.] [L. contractus, p.p. of contrahere to contract; con- + trahere to draw: cf. F. contracter. See Trace, and cf. Contract, n.]
1.
To draw together or nearer; to reduce to a less compass; to shorten, narrow, or lesen; as, to contract one's shpere 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 statir.
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. Gram.
To shorten by omitting a letter or letters or by reducing two or more vowels or syllables to one.
Syn. -- To shorten; abridge; epitomize; narrow; lessen; condense; reduce; confine; incur; assume.
© Webster 1913.
Con*tract" (?), v. i.
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.
© Webster 1913.
Con"tract (?), a.
Contracted: as, a contract verb.
Goodwin.
© Webster 1913.
Con*tract" (?), a. [L. contractus, p.p.]
Contracted; affianced; betrothed.
[Obs.]
Shak.
© Webster 1913.
Con"tract (?), n. [L. contractus, fr. contrahere: cf. F. contrat, formerly also contract.]
1. Law
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.
Wharton.
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.
Syn. -- Covenant; agreement; compact; stipulation; bargain; arrangement; obligation. See Covenant.
© Webster 1913.