About The Word Contraction
Learn about the word Contraction to help solve your crossword puzzle. Discover Contraction definitions and meaning, origins, synonyms, related terms and more at the free Crossword Dictionary.
Contraction
| Contraction Definition And Meaning |
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What's The Definition Of Contraction?
[n] (physiology) a shortening or tensing of a part or organ (especially of a muscle or muscle fiber)
[n] a word formed from two or more words by omitting or combining some sounds; "`won't' is a contraction of `will not'"; "`o'clock' is a contraction of `of the clock'" [n] the process or result of becoming smaller or pressed together; "the contraction of a gas on cooling" Synonyms | Synonyms for Contraction: compression | condensation | muscular contraction Related Terms | Find terms related to Contraction: abatement | abbreviation | abridgment | alleviation | apocope | aposiopesis | attenuation | brachygraphy | clipping | coarctation | constriction | crasis | cutting | dampening | damping | decrease | decrement | decrescence | deduction | deflation | depreciation | depression | diminishment | diminution | dying | dying off | elision | ellipsis | extenuation | fade-out | languishment | lessening | letup | lowering | miniaturization | mitigation | narrowing | phonography | pruning | reduction | relaxation | sagging | scaling down | shortening | shorthand | simplicity | Speedwriting | stenography | stricture | subtraction | syncope | syneresis | tachygraphy | taper | tapering | truncation | weakening See Also | Braxton-Hicks contraction | coarctation | constriction | contracture | false labor | shortening | shrinkage | shrinking | tetanus | uterine contraction | vaginismus | word Contraction In Webster's Dictionary \Con*trac"tion\, n. [L. contractio: cf. F.
contraction.]
1. The act or process of contracting, shortening, or
shrinking; the state of being contracted; as, contraction
of the heart, of the pupil of the eye, or of a tendion;
the contraction produced by cold.
2. (Math.) The process of shortening an operation.
3. The act of incurring or becoming subject to, as
liabilities, obligation, debts, etc.; the process of
becoming subject to; as, the contraction of a disease.
4. Something contracted or abbreviated, as a word or phrase;
-- as, plenipo for plenipotentiary; crim. con. for
criminal conversation, etc.
5. (Gram.) 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, ne'er for never;
can't for can not; don't for do not; it's for it is.
6. A marriage contract. [Obs.] --Shak.
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