Contract - Definition
contract
n 1: a binding agreement between two or more persons that is
enforceable by law
2: (contract bridge) the highest bid becomes the contract
setting the number of tricks that the bidder must make [syn:
contract, declaration]
3: a variety of bridge in which the bidder receives points
toward game only for the number of tricks he bid [syn:
contract, contract bridge]
v 1: enter into a contractual arrangement [syn: contract,
undertake]
2: engage by written agreement; "They signed two new pitchers
for the next season" [syn: sign, contract, sign on,
sign up]
3: squeeze or press together; "she compressed her lips"; "the
spasm contracted the muscle" [syn: compress, constrict,
squeeze, compact, contract, press]
4: be stricken by an illness, fall victim to an illness; "He got
AIDS"; "She came down with pneumonia"; "She took a chill"
[syn: contract, take, get]
5: become smaller or draw together; "The fabric shrank"; "The
balloon shrank" [syn: shrink, contract] [ant: expand,
spread out, stretch]
6: make smaller; "The heat contracted the woollen garment"
7: compress or concentrate; "Congress condensed the three-year
plan into a six-month plan" [syn: condense, concentrate,
contract]
8: make or become more narrow or restricted; "The selection was
narrowed"; "The road narrowed" [syn: narrow, contract]
[ant: widen]
9: reduce in scope while retaining essential elements; "The
manuscript must be shortened" [syn: abridge, foreshorten,
abbreviate, shorten, cut, contract, reduce] [ant:
dilate, elaborate, enlarge, expand, expatiate,
exposit, expound, flesh out, lucubrate]