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Definition of contract verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

contract

verb
 
 
/kənˈtrækt/
 
/kənˈtrækt/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they contract
 
/kənˈtrækt/
 
/kənˈtrækt/
he / she / it contracts
 
/kənˈtrækts/
 
/kənˈtrækts/
past simple contracted
 
/kənˈtræktɪd/
 
/kənˈtræktɪd/
past participle contracted
 
/kənˈtræktɪd/
 
/kənˈtræktɪd/
-ing form contracting
 
/kənˈtræktɪŋ/
 
/kənˈtræktɪŋ/
Phrasal Verbs
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  1.  
     [intransitive, transitive] to become less or smaller; to make something become less or smaller
    • Glass contracts as it cools.
    • The universe is expanding rather than contracting.
    • a contracting market
    • The economy will contract by 2 per cent this year.
    • The heart muscles contract to expel the blood.
    • contract something The exercise consists of stretching and contracting the leg muscles.
    • contract something to something ‘I will’ and ‘I shall’ are usually contracted to ‘I'll’ (= made shorter).
    opposite expand
    Extra Examples
    • The electrical market is forecast to contract by 2% this year.
    • The exercise consists of contracting and expanding the leg muscles.
    Topics Physics and chemistryb2
  2. [transitive] contract something (formal or medical) to get an illness
    • to contract a virus/a disease/measles
    Extra Examples
    • Condoms can help to minimize the risk of contracting HIV.
    • He contracted malaria while abroad.
    Topics Health problemsc2
  3.  
    /ˈkɒntrækt/
     
    /ˈkɑːntrækt/
     [transitive] to make a legal agreement with somebody for them to work for you or provide you with a service
    • contract somebody to do something The player is contracted to play until August.
    • contract somebody (to something) Several computer engineers have been contracted to the finance department.
    • He can't work for them because he is contracted with another company.
    Topics Discussion and agreementc2, Law and justicec2
  4.  
    /ˈkɒntrækt/
     
    /ˈkɑːntrækt/
     [intransitive] contract to do something to make a legal agreement to work for somebody or provide them with a service
    • She has contracted to work 20 hours a week.
    Topics Discussion and agreementc2
  5.  
    /ˈkɒntrækt/
     
    /ˈkɑːntrækt/
     [transitive] contract a marriage/an alliance (with somebody) (formal) to formally agree to marry somebody/form an alliance with somebodyTopics Discussion and agreementc2
    More Like This Pronunciation changes by part of speechPronunciation changes by part of speech
    6. Word OriginMiddle English: via Old French from Latin contractus, from contract- ‘drawn together, tightened’, from the verb contrahere, from con- ‘together’ + trahere ‘draw’.
See contract in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee contract in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: contract

Nearby words

alloy
noun
 
 
From the Topic
Physics and chemistry
C2
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