Part 2360

<h1>Contraction</h1> <Xpage=314>

<hw>Con*trac"tion</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>contractio</ets>: cf. F. <ets>contraction</ets>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>The act or process of contracting, shortening, or shrinking; the state of being contracted; <as>as, <ex>contraction</ex> of the heart, of the pupil of the eye, or of a tendion; the <ex>contraction</ex> produced by cold.</as></def>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Math.)</fld> <def>The process of shortening an operation.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>The act of incurring or becoming subject to, as liabilities, obligation, debts, etc.; the process of becoming subject to; <as>as, the <ex>contraction</ex> of a disease</as>.</def>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>Something contracted or abbreviated, as a word or phrase; -- as, <i>plenipo</i> for <i>plenipotentiary</i>; <i>crim. con.</i> for <i>criminal conversation</i>, etc.</def>

<p><b>5.</b> <fld>(Gram.)</fld> <def>The shortening of a word, or of two words, by the omission of a letter or letters, or by reducing two or more vowels or syllables to one; as, <i>ne'er</i> for <i>never</i>; <i>can't</i> for <i>can not</i>; <i>don't</i> for <i>do not</i>; <i>it's</i> for <i>it is</i>.</def>

<p><b>6.</b> <def>A marriage contract.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Shak.</i>

<h1>Contrative</h1> <Xpage=314>

<hw>Con*trat"ive</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Tending to contract; having the property or power or power of contracting.</def>

<h1>Contractor</h1> <Xpage=314>

<hw>Con*tract"or</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L.]</ety> <def>One who contracts; one of the parties to a bargain; one who covenants to do anything for another; specifically, one who contracts to perform work on a rather large scale, at a certain price or rate, as in building houses or making a railroad.</def>

<h1>Contracture</h1> <Xpage=314>

<hw>Con*trac"ture</hw> <tt>(?; 135)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>contractura</ets> a drawing together.]</ety> <fld>(Med.)</fld> <def>A state of permanent rigidity or contraction of the muscles, generally of the flexor muscles.</def>

<h1>Contradance</h1> <Xpage=314>

<hw>Con"tra*dance`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Pref. <ets>contra-</ets> + <ets>dance</ets>: cf. F. <ets>contrdance</ets>. Cf. <er>Country-dance</er>.]</ety> <def>A dance in which the partners are arranged face to face, or in opposite lines.</def>

<h1>Contradict</h1> <Xpage=314>

<hw>Con`tra*dict"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p.p.</tt> <er>Contradicted</er>; <tt>p.pr. & vb.n</tt> <er>Contradicting</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[L. <ets>contradictus</ets>, p.p. of <ets>contradicere</ets> to speak against; <ets>contra + dicere</ets> to speak. See <er>Diction</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To assert the contrary of; to oppose in words; to take issue with; to gainsay; to deny the truth of, as of a statement or a speaker; to impugn.</def>

<blockquote>Dear Duff, I prithee, <b>contradict</b> thyself, And say it is not so. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>The future can not <b>contradict</b> the past. <i>Wordsworth.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To be contrary to; to oppose; to resist.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>No truth can <b>contradict</b> another truth. <i>Hooker.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>A greater power than we can <b>contradict</b> Hath thwarted our intents. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Contradict</h1> <Xpage=314>

<hw>Con`tra*dict</hw>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <def>To oppose in words; to gainsay; to deny, or assert the contrary of, something.</def>

<blockquote>They . . . spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, <b>contradicting</b> and blaspheming. <i>Acts xiii. 45.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Contradictable</h1> <Xpage=314>

<hw>Con`tra*dict"a*ble</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Capable of being contradicting.</def>