Part 2359

<p><b>2.</b> <def>A formal writing which contains the agreement of parties, with the terms and conditions, and which serves as a proof of the obligation.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>The act of formally betrothing a man and woman.</def>

<blockquote>This is the the night of the <b>contract</b>. <i>Longwellow.</i></blockquote>

<syn>Syn. -- Covenant; agreement; compact; stipulation; bargain; arrangement; obligation. See <er>Covenant</er>.</syn>

<h1>Contracted</h1> <Xpage=314>

<hw>Con*tract"ed</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Drawn together; shrunken; wrinkled; narrow; <as>as, a <ex>contracted</ex> brow; a <ex>contracted</ex> noun.</as></def>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Narrow; illiberal; selfish; <as>as, a <ex>contracted</ex> mind; <ex>contracted</ex> views.</as></def>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>Bargained for; betrothed; <as>as, a <ex>contracted</ex> peace</as>.</def>

<blockquote>Inquire me out <b>contracted</b> bachelors. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Contractedness</h1> <Xpage=314>

<hw>Con*tract"ed*ness</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The state of being contracted; narrowness; meannes; selfishness.</def>

<h1>Contractibility</h1> <Xpage=314>

<hw>Con*tract`i*bil"i*ty</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>Capability of being contracted; quality of being contractible; <as>as, the <ex>contractibiliy</ex> and dilatability of air</as>.</def>

<i>Arbuthnot.</i>

<h1>Contractible</h1> <Xpage=314>

<hw>Con*tract"i*ble</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Capable of contraction.</def>

<blockquote>Small air bladders distable and <b>contractible</b>. <i>Arbuthnot.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Contractibleness</h1> <Xpage=314>

<hw>Con*tract"i*ble*ness</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>Contractibility.</def>

<h1>Contractile</h1> <Xpage=314>

<hw>Con*tract"ile</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[Cf. F. <ets>contractile</ets>.]</ety> <def>tending to contract; having the power or property of contracting, or of shrinking into shorter or smaller dimensions; <as>as, the <ex>contractile</ex> tissues</as>.</def>

<blockquote>The heart's <b>contractile</b> force. <i>H. Brooke.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Each cilium seems to be composed of <b>contractile</b> substance. <i>Hixley.</i></blockquote>

<cs><col>Contractile vacuole</col> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld>, <cd>a pulsating cavity in the interior of a protozoan, supposed to be excretory in function. There may be one, two, or more.</cd></cs>

<h1>Contractility</h1> <Xpage=314>

<hw>Con`trac*til"i*ty</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>The quality or property by which bodies shrink or contract.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Physiol.)</fld> <def>The power possessed by the fibers of living muscle of contracting or shortening.</def>

<note>&hand; When subject to the will, as in the muscles of locomotion, such power is called <i>voluntary contractility</i>; when not controlled by the will, as in the muscles of the heart, it is <i>involuntary contractility</i>.</note>