Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Contraction
Con-trac′tion
,Noun.
[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 tendon; the contraction
produced by cold2.
(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 disease4.
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.
Webster 1828 Edition
Contraction
CONTRACTION
,Noun.
1.
The act of drawing together, or shrinking; the act of shortening, narrowing or lessening extent or dimensions, by causing the parts of a body to approach nearer to each other; the state of being contracted.Oil of vitriol will throw the stomach into involuntary contractions.
The contraction of the heart is called systole.
Some things induce a contraction of the nerves.
2.
The act of shortening, abridging, or reducing within a narrower compass by any means. A poem may be improved by omissions or contractions.3.
In grammar, the shortening of a word, by the omission of a letter or syllable; as, cant for cannot; burst for bursted or bursten; Swedish and Danish ord, a word.4.
A contract; marriage contract. [Not used.]5.
Abbreviation.