contract

B2 Topic:Business & Commerce

US /ˈkɑntɹækt/ UK /ˈkɒntɹækt/ See IPA manual

Freq #1811

Meanings

1

noun
A formal written agreement between people or companies that the law can enforce.

The contract clearly states that you cannot work for a competitor.
2

verb
To become smaller or tighter; to make something smaller.

Metal contracts as it cools.
3

verb
To catch or become ill with a disease.

Many people contracted the plague in London in 1665.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a formal written agreement... agreement deal

2 verb · to become smaller or... shrink decrease

3 verb · to catch or become ill with... catch get

Opposites

expand grow increase lengthen

Word family

Forms contractedcontractingcontracts

Derived forms contractabilitycontractablecontractarianismcontracteecontractiblecontractioncontractivecontractlesscontractocracycontractualcontraktnikdecontract

Etymology

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.

contracter Middle French contractum Latin

View etymology graph ->

External links

# contract

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈkɑntɹækt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkɒntɹækt/
**Frequency rank:** 1811

## Meanings
1. A formal written agreement between people or companies that the law can enforce.
2. To become smaller or tighter; to make something smaller.
3. To catch or become ill with a disease.

## Examples
- The contract clearly states that you cannot work for a competitor.
- Metal contracts as it cools.
- Many people contracted the plague in London in 1665.

## Antonyms
- expand
- grow
- increase
- lengthen

## Derived Forms
- contractability
- contractable
- contractarianism
- contractee
- contractible
- contraction
- contractive
- contractless
- contractocracy
- contractual
- contraktnik
- decontract

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: contracter
- Root: contractum

## Etymology
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.

## AI Etymology
contract is a noun and verb. It is 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. Historical forms in the chain include contracter (Middle French) and contractum (Latin). Current senses include a formal written agreement between people or companies that the law can enforce, to become smaller or tighter; to make something smaller, and to catch or become ill with a disease. Derived forms include contractability, contractable, contractarianism, contractee, and contractible.

## Topics
- Business & Commerce
- Register & Style

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contract

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