English
contract
Etymology 1

From Middle English -, from Old French contract, from Latin contractum, past participle of contrahere, from con- ("with, together") + trahere.

Pronunciation
  • (RP) IPA: /ˈkɒntɹækt/
  • (America) IPA: /ˈkɑntɹækt/
Noun

contract (plural contracts)

  1. 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.
    Synonyms: compact, pact
    sign a contract
    write up a contract
    read a contract
    countersign a contract
    legally-binding contract
    unwritten contract
    Marriage is a contract.
  2. (legal) 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. (legal) The document containing such an agreement.
  4. (legal) A part of legal studies dealing with laws and jurisdiction related to contracts.
  5. (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.
  6. (bridge) The declarer's undertaking to win the number of tricks bid with a stated suit as trump.
Synonyms Translations Translations Translations Adjective

contract (not comparable)

  1. (obsolete) Contracted; affianced; betrothed.
  2. (obsolete) Not abstract; concrete.
Etymology 2

From Middle English -, from Middle French contracter, from Latin contractum, past participle of contrahere, from con- ("with, together") + trahere.

Pronunciation
  • enPR: kəntrăkt, IPA: /kənˈtɹækt/
Verb

contract (contracts, present participle contracting; simple past and past participle contracted)

  1. (ambitransitive) 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
    • 1674, [Richard Allestree], “Of Boasting”, in The Government of the Tongue. […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: At the Theater, →OCLC ↗, page 168 ↗:
      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.
    • 1830, William Wordsworth, “The Armenian Lady’s Love”, in Yarrow Revisited, and Other Poems, London: […] Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green, & Longman, […]; and Edward Moxon, […], published 1835, →OCLC ↗, stanza 18, page 102 ↗:
      Mutual was the sudden transport; / Breathless questions followed fast, / Years contracting to a moment, / Each word greedier than the last; […]
  2. (grammar) 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”.
  3. (transitive) To enter into a contract with.
  4. (transitive) To enter into, with mutual obligations; to make a bargain or covenant for.
    • 1589, Richard Hakluyt, The Principall Navigations, Voiages, and Discoveries of the English Nation, […], London: […] George Bishop and Ralph Newberie, deputies to Christopher Barker, […], →OCLC ↗:
      We have contracted an inviolable amitie, peace, and league with the aforesaid Queene.
    • 1721, John Strype, Ecclesiastical Memorials:
      Many persons […] had contracted marriage within the degrees of consanguinity […] prohibited by law.
  5. (intransitive) To make an agreement or contract; to covenant; to agree; to bargain.
    to contract for carrying the mail
  6. (transitive) To bring on; to incur; to acquire.
    She contracted the habit of smoking in her teens.
    to contract a debt
    • 1717, Alexander Pope, “To Mr. Jervas, with Fresnoy’s Art of Painting, Translated by Mr. Dryden”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot, […], →OCLC ↗, page 391 ↗:
      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.
    • a. 1746 (date written), Jonathan Swift, “An Essay on the Fates of Clergymen”, in Thomas Sheridan, John Nichols, editors, The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, […], new edition, volume V, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], published 1801, →OCLC ↗, page 113 ↗:
      This talent of discretion, […] is no where so serviceable as to the clergy, to whose preferment nothing is so fatal as the character of wit, politeness in reading or manners, or that kind of behaviour, which we contract by having too much conversation with persons of high station and eminency; […]
    • 1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 1, in The History of Pendennis. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850, →OCLC ↗:
      A love like mine, Sir, I feel, is contracted once and for ever.
  7. (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 […]
  8. To draw together so as to wrinkle; to knit.
    • c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragœdy of Othello, the Moore of Venice. […] (First Quarto), London: […] N[icholas] O[kes] for Thomas Walkley, […], published 1622, →OCLC ↗, [Act III, scene iii], page 45 ↗:
      And didſt contract, and purſe thy brow together, / As if thou then hadſt ſhut vp in thy braine, / Some horrible counſell: […]
  9. To betroth; to affiance.
    • c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act V, scene v], page 60 ↗, column 2:
      The truth is, ſhe and I (long ſince contracted) / Are now ſo ſure that nothing can diſſolve vs: […]
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