Search

[noun, adjective, verb 15–17, 21, 22 kon-trakt; verb kuh n-trakt] /noun, adjective, verb 15–17, 21, 22 ˈkɒn trækt; verb kənˈtrækt/

noun
1.
an agreement between two or more parties for the doing or not doing of something specified.
2.
an agreement enforceable by law.
3.
the written form of such an agreement.
4.
the division of law dealing with contracts.
5.
Also called contract bridge. a variety of bridge in which the side that wins the bid can earn toward game only that number of tricks named in the contract, additional points being credited above the line.
Compare .
6.

7.
the formal agreement of marriage; betrothal.
8.
Slang. an arrangement for a hired assassin to kill a specific person.
adjective
9.
under contract; governed or arranged by special contract:
a contract carrier.
verb (used with object)
10.
to draw together or into smaller compass; draw the parts of together:
to contract a muscle.
11.
to wrinkle:
to contract the brows.
12.
to shorten (a word, phrase, etc.) by combining or omitting some of its elements: Contracting “do not” yields “don’t.”.
13.
to get or acquire, as by exposure to something contagious:
to contract a disease.
14.
to incur, as a liability or obligation:
to contract a debt.
15.
to settle or establish by agreement:
to contract an alliance.
16.
to assign (a job, work, project, etc.) by contract:
The publisher contracted the artwork.
17.
to enter into an agreement with:
to contract a free-lancer to do the work.
18.
to enter into (friendship, acquaintance, etc.).
19.
to betroth.
verb (used without object)
20.
to become drawn together or reduced in compass; become smaller; shrink:
The pupils of his eyes contracted in the light.
21.
to enter into an agreement:
to contract for snow removal.
Verb phrases
22.
contract out, to hire an outside contractor to produce or do.
Idioms
23.
put out a contract on, Slang. to hire or attempt to hire an assassin to kill (someone):
The mob put out a contract on the informer.
verb (kənˈtrækt)
1.
to make or become smaller, narrower, shorter, etc: metals contract as the temperature is reduced
2.
(ˈkɒntrækt), when intr, sometimes foll by for; when tr, may take an infinitive. to enter into an agreement with (a person, company, etc) to deliver (goods or services) or to do (something) on mutually agreed and binding terms, often in writing
3.
to draw or be drawn together; coalesce or cause to coalesce
4.
(transitive) to acquire, incur, or become affected by (a disease, liability, debt, etc)
5.
(transitive) to shorten (a word or phrase) by the omission of letters or syllables, usually indicated in writing by an apostrophe
6.
(phonetics) to unite (two vowels) or (of two vowels) to be united within a word or at a word boundary so that a new long vowel or diphthong is formed
7.
(transitive) to wrinkle or draw together (the brow or a muscle)
8.
(transitive) to arrange (a marriage) for; betroth
noun (ˈkɒntrækt)
9.
a formal agreement between two or more parties
10.
a document that states the terms of such an agreement
11.
the branch of law treating of contracts
12.
marriage considered as a formal agreement
13.
See contract bridge
14.
(bridge)

15.
(slang)

v.

late 14c., “make narrow, draw together;” early 15c. “make an agreement;” from Middle French contracter, from Latin contractus, past participle of contrahere “to draw together, combine, make an agreement” (see contract (n.)). Related: Contracted; contracting.
n.

early 14c., from Old French contract (Modern French contrat), from Latin contractus “a contract, agreement,” from past participle of contrahere “to draw together,” metaphorically, “to make a bargain,” from com- “together” (see com-) + trahere “to draw” (see tract (n.1)). U.S. underworld sense of “arrangement to kill someone” first recorded 1940.

contract con·tract (kən-trākt’, kŏn’trākt’)
v. con·tract·ed, con·tract·ing, con·tracts

A legally binding agreement between two or more parties.

noun

Related Terms

sweetheart contract