contract
[noun]
Synonyms:
- agreement, arrangement, bargain, commitment, covenant, pact, settlement
[verb]
Synonyms:
- agree, bargain, come to terms, commit oneself, covenant, negotiate, pledge
- shorten, abbreviate, curtail, diminish, dwindle, lessen, narrow, reduce, shrink, shrivel
- catch, acquire, be afflicted with, develop, get, go down with, incur

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Antonyms: expand
Contrasted words: dilate, distend, inflate, swell
Related Idioms: be laid by the heels by, fall (a) victim to
Related Words: acquire, obtain, decline, fail, sink, weaken, afflict, derange, disorder, indispose, upset, bring on, cause, induce, succumb (to), decrease, diminish, dwindle, lessen, reduce

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. con‧tract¹ S1 W1 AC /ˈkɒntrækt $ ˈkɑːn-/ noun [countable]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin contractus; ⇒ contract²]

1. an official agreement between two or more people, stating what each will do ⇒ contractual
contract with/between
Tyler has agreed a seven-year contract with a Hollywood studio.
contract to do something
a three-year contract to provide pay telephones at local restaurants
on a contract/under contract
The firm operates schools under contract to state education authorities.
Employees who refuse to relocate are in breach of contract (=have done something not allowed by their contracts).

2. subject to contract if an agreement is subject to contract, it has not yet been agreed formally by a contract

3. informal an agreement to kill a person for money:
They put a contract out on him and he’s in hiding.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. con‧tract² AC /kənˈtrækt/ verb
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: contractus, past participle of contrahere 'to pull together, make a contract, make smaller', from com- ( ⇒ COM-) + trahere 'to pull']

1. [intransitive] to become smaller or narrower Antonym : expand:
Metal contracts as it cools.
The economy has contracted by 2.5% since last year.

2. [transitive] formal to get an illness Synonym : catch:
Two-thirds of the adult population there have contracted AIDS.

3. [intransitive and transitive] to sign a contract in which you agree formally that you will do something or someone will do something for you
contract (somebody) to do something
They are contracted to work 35 hours a week.
the company that had been contracted to build the models
contract (with) somebody for something
Doctors control their budgets and contract with hospitals for services.
contract a marriage/alliance etc (=agree to marry someone, form a relationship with them etc)
Most of the marriages were contracted when the brides were very young.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

III. contract³ /ˈkɒntrækt $ ˈkɑːn-/
contract in phrasal verb British English

1. contract somebody/something ↔ in to arrange for a person or company outside your own organization to come in and do a particular job:
We contract in cleaning services.

2. formal to agree officially to take part in something:
The rules require all members to contract in.
contract out phrasal verb

1. contract something ↔ out to arrange to have a job done by a person or company outside your own organization
contract something ↔ out to
We contracted the catering out to an outside firm.

2. British English to agree officially not to take part in something such as a pension plan

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

contract
noun
I. written agreement
ADJ. long-term, permanent | casual, fixed-term, short-term | three-year, two-year, etc. | formal, written | verbal | legal, valid | void The contract was declared void.
enforceable, unenforceable (law)
big, important, major | lucrative | business, commercial | employment, maintenance, research, service | catering, construction, haulage | marriage
VERB + CONTRACT have Many workers do not have written contracts.
bid for, tender for Eighteen companies are bidding for the contract.
award (sb), give sb | get, win | lose The firm lost the contract to a large London company.
negotiate She managed to negotiate a permanent contract with the firm.
draw up, write | conclude, enter into, make, sign He entered into a contract with his former employer.
carry out, execute the firm carrying out the construction contract
cancel, end, repudiate (law), rescind (law), terminate Either party can terminate the contract at any time.
be subject to The offer has been accepted, subject to contract (= the agreement is not legally binding before contracts are signed).
be in breach of, break, violate If you go on strike you will be in breach of contract.
enforce (law)
exchange (law) When a house is auctioned the successful bidder must exchange contracts immediately and pay a deposit.
CONTRACT + VERB expire The contract expires at the end of next year.
be worth sth a series of major contracts worth millions of pounds
CONTRACT + NOUN worker (= one on a fixed-term contract) | law
PREP. in a/the ~ They put a clause in the contract stipulating that the work should be finished by next month.
on a ~ He's on a three-year fixed-term contract.
under ~ (to) At that stage of her career she was still under contract to one of the big Hollywood studios.
under a/the ~ Under her contract of employment, Mrs Lee could not be required to work at a different site.
~ between the contract between the employer and the employee
~ for They won a contract for the delivery of five fighter planes.
~ with Do you have a contract with your employer?
PHRASES (a) breach of contract The company is being sued for breach of contract.
a contract of employment/sale You should make sure that you have a formal contract of employment.
the terms of a contract By using cheaper materials, the company has broken the terms of its contract.
under the terms of a contract Under the terms of the contract the job should have been finished yesterday.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

contract
II. agreement to kill sb
VERB + CONTRACT take out | have out He has a contract out on you.
CONTRACT + NOUN killer, killing
PREP. ~ on She took out a contract on her ex-husband.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

contract

have a contract
The company had a contract to build a new hotel there.
sign a contract
He signed a contract to become vice president of the football club.
enter (into) a contract
You will enter a two-year training contract with your chosen employer.
agree to a contract (also agree a contract British English)
Keane was reported to have agreed a contract for a further three years.
make a contract
Did he know this when he made the contract?
negotiate a contract (=agree the conditions of a contract with someone)
Your lawyer will assist you in negotiating a contract.
break a contract (=do something that your contract does not allow)
She broke her contract and left the job after only six months.
fulfil/honour a contract (=do what you have agreed to do)
If you have signed a contract, you have to fulfil it.
draw up a contract (=write one)
The two sides drew up a contract.
win/get a contract
They won a contract to supply 37 passenger trains to Regional Railways.
give somebody a contract
He was given a new two-year contract in March.
award a company a contract (=give them a contract)
The state of Kentucky has awarded the firm a $10m contract.
cancel/end/terminate a contract
The buyer has three days in which to cancel the contract.
renew sb’s contract (=give someone another contract when their old one ends)
I hope they will renew my contract at the end of the year.
a one-year/two-year etc contract
He signed a five-year contract worth $2 million.
a recording/building etc contract
The band was soon offered a recording contract with Columbia Records.
a written contract
All employees should have a written contract.
a contract of employment (also an employment contract)
Make sure you fully understand your contract of employment.
the terms of a contract (=the conditions that are part of the contract)
He explained the terms of the contract.
breach of contract (=an action that your contract does not allow)
They are suing the building company for breach of contract.
be in breach of contract (=have done something that your contract does not allow)

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲