Nominal Forms
Infinitive: to contract
Participle: contracted
Gerund: contracting
Cognates
-
Indicative
Present
| I | contract |
| you | contract |
| he;she;it | contracts |
| we | contract |
| you | contract |
| they | contract |
Perfect
| I | have contracted |
| you | have contracted |
| he;she;it | has contracted |
| we | have contracted |
| you | have contracted |
| they | have contracted |
Past
| I | contracted |
| you | contracted |
| he;she;it | contracted |
| we | contracted |
| you | contracted |
| they | contracted |
Pluperfect
| I | had contracted |
| you | had contracted |
| he;she;it | had contracted |
| we | had contracted |
| you | had contracted |
| they | had contracted |
Future
| I | will contract |
| you | will contract |
| he;she;it | will contract |
| we | will contract |
| you | will contract |
| they | will contract |
Future Perfect
| I | will have contracted |
| you | will have contracted |
| he;she;it | will have contracted |
| we | will have contracted |
| you | will have contracted |
| they | will have contracted |
Subjunctive
Present
| I | contract |
| you | contract |
| he;she;it | contract |
| we | contract |
| you | contract |
| they | contract |
Perfect
| I | have contracted |
| you | have contracted |
| he;she;it | have contracted |
| we | have contracted |
| you | have contracted |
| they | have contracted |
Imperfect
| I | contracted |
| you | contracted |
| he;she;it | contracted |
| we | contracted |
| you | contracted |
| they | contracted |
Pluperfect
| I | had contracted |
| you | had contracted |
| he;she;it | had contracted |
| we | had contracted |
| you | had contracted |
| they | had contracted |
Conditional
Present
| I | would contract |
| you | would contract |
| he;she;it | would contract |
| we | would contract |
| you | would contract |
| they | would contract |
Perfect
| I | would have contracted |
| you | would have contracted |
| he;she;it | would have contracted |
| we | would have contracted |
| you | would have contracted |
| they | would have contracted |
Imperative
| you | contract |
| we | Let's contract |
| you | contract |
Verbs conjugated like 'contract'
abandon,
abduct,
abear,
aberr,
abject,
abord,
abort,
abound,
abraid,
abray,
abrook,
abscind,
abscond,
absist,
absorb,
abstain,
abstract,
accend,
accent,
accept, etc. (List truncated at 20 verbs)
Verbs similar to 'contract'
contact,
contrast,
coextract,
constrict,
construct,
contracept,
contradict,
contrary,
contrist,
counteract,
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
- bring down or reduce
- abate, cut short, decrease, diminish, lower, moderate, remit, remove, slacken, suppress, terminate
- to make narrower
- narrow, straiten
- to make an agreement, deal or contract
- agree, bargain, come to terms, covenant, deal, do business, engage, guarantee, make terms, negotiate, promise, sell, stipulate, trade
- shrink
- compress, condense, constrict, concentrate, narrow, decrease, reduce
- abridge
- syncopate, abbreviate, curtail, epitomize, shorten, elide
- catch
- get, incur
- covenant
- pact, pledge, promise, assent, settle
Antonyms
- shrink
- enlarge, expand, increase, extend
- catch
- release, miss, lose
Additional Information
Etymology
1. c.1315, from L.
contractus, pp. of
contrahere "to draw together," metaphorically, "to make a bargain," from
com- "together" +
trahere "to draw" (see tract (1)). Noun came first, then verb and variant meaning "become narrowed, get smaller," especially of a withered limb (both 17c.). U.S. underworld slang sense of "arrangement to kill someone" first recorded 1940.
Contractor in the modern sense is from 1724.
2. From Middle English, from Middle French contracter, from Latin contractum, past participle of contrahere (“to bring together, to bring about, to conclude a bargain”), from con- (“with, together”) + trahere (“to draw, to pull”). The verb developed after the noun, and originally meant only "draw together"; the sense "make a contract with" developed later.
Verbs referencing "contract"
Spanish
contraer.
Sample Sentences
-
[...] all in one large room, were employed in making light clothing, for New Orleans and the Southern States. They did their work in silence like the men; and like them were over-looked by the person contracting for their labour, or by some agent of his appointment. In addition to this, they are every moment liable to be visited by the prison officers appointed for that purpose.
(American Notes for General Circulation)
-
[...] Gin-sling, Cock-tail, Sangaree, Mint Julep, Sherry-cobbler, Timber Doodle, and other rare drinks. The house is full of boarders, both married and single, many of whom sleep upon the premises, and contract by the week for their board and lodging: the charge for which diminishes as they go nearer the sky to roost. A public table is laid in a very handsome hall for breakfast, and for dinner, and for [...]
(American Notes for General Circulation)
-
[...] reproof ever fell on her ear for whatever she chose to do, she pursued her own way all over the boat. Always dressed in white, she seemed to move like a shadow through all sorts of places, without contracting spot or stain; and there was not a corner or nook, above or below, where those fairy footsteps had not glided, and that visionary golden head, with its deep blue eyes, fleeted along.
(Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
-
[...] accessions of importance from the developments with regard to Miss Ophelia's wardrobe which she had been enabled to make. It was credibly ascertained that Squire Sinclare, as his name was commonly contracted in the neighborhood, had counted out fifty dollars, and given them to Miss Ophelia, and told her to buy any clothes she thought best; and that two new silk dresses, and a bonnet, had been sent for [...]
(Uncle Tom’s Cabin)