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contracting

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contracting


  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Contract  \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  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.  (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. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  contracting 
  n  :  becomeing  infected;  "catching  cold  is  sometimes 
  unavoidable";  "the  contracting  of  a  serious  illness  can 
  be  financially  catastrophic"  [syn:  {catching}] 




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