See Also: contraction(dictionary)
Contraction(medicine)
contraction(dictionary)
Contraction(health)
Contraction(money)
CONTRACTION(law)
muscle contraction(medicine)
isotonic contraction(medicine)
isometric contraction(medicine)
idiomuscular contraction(medicine)

contraction (iou)



contraction noun. LME.
[Old & mod. French from Latin contractio(n-), from contract-: see CONTRACT noun1, -ION.]
I.
The action of contracting; the state of being contracted; decrease in extent, shortening, shrinking, narrowing; limitation; esp. (a) shortening of a muscle or muscles in response to a nerve impulse, generating tension in the muscle(s) and frequently producing movement. LME.
L. P. Hartley Not expansion but contraction of personality was what he sought.
a. Abbreviation of a writing etc.; (an) abridgement; condensation, conciseness. Now rare or obsolete. L16.
A. C. Swinburne A poem of..exquisite contraction and completeness.
b. Linguistics. The shortening of a word, syllable, etc. by combination or elision; a contracted form of a word etc. E18.
The action of drawing together or back. rare. E17.
D. H. Lawrence The cattle..ducked their heads..in sudden contraction from her.
II.
The action of agreeing on or establishing by contract; spec. the action of contracting marriage. Now rare. L16.
The action of incurring or acquiring a debt, disease, habit, etc. L17.
Comb.: contraction joint a joint in a structure (esp. of concrete) to allow for contraction of the material.
contractional adjective relating to or produced by contraction L19.