Get Affordable VMs - excellent virtual server hosting


browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
contrivance

more about contrivance

contrivance

 

  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Contrivance  \Con*triv"ance\,  n. 
  1.  The  act  or  faculty  of  contriving,  inventing,  devising,  or 
  planning. 
 
  The  machine  which  we  are  inspecting  demonstrates,  by 
  its  construction,  contrivance  and  design. 
  Contrivance  must  have  had  a  contriver.  --Paley. 
 
  2.  The  thing  contrived,  invented,  or  planned;  disposition  of 
  parts  or  causes  by  design;  a  scheme;  plan  atrifice; 
  arrangement. 
 
  Government  is  a  contrivance  of  human  wisdom  to 
  provide  for  human  wants  --Burke. 
 
  Syn:  Device;  plan  scheme;  invention;  machine;  project; 
  design;  artifice;  shift.  See  {Device}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  contrivance 
  n  1:  a  device  that  very  useful  for  a  particular  job  [syn:  {appliance}, 
  {contraption},  {convenience},  {gadget},  {gizmo},  {widget}] 
  2:  the  faculty  of  contriving;  inventive  skill;  "his  skillful 
  contrivance  of  answers  to  every  problem" 
  3:  an  elaborate  or  deceitful  scheme  contrived  to  deceive  or 
  evade;  "his  testimony  was  just  a  contrivance  to  throw  us 
  off  the  track"  [syn:  {stratagem},  {dodge}] 
  4:  an  artificial  or  unnatural  or  obviously  contrived 
  arrangement  of  details  or  parts  etc.;  "the  plot  contained 
  too  many  improbable  contrivances  to  be  believable" 
  5:  any  improvised  arrangement  for  temporary  use  [syn:  {lash-up}] 
  6:  the  act  of  devising  something  [syn:  {devisal}]




more about contrivance