📖 C — The English dictionary · page 71

contracted — Everyday, meaning 1: Became smaller or shorter (The metal contracted as it cooled).↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Caught an illness (She contracted measles).↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Made a formal agreement to do work (The firm was contracted to build the bridge).↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (grammar) Shortened by joining words (a contracted form like «don't»).↗ Everyday, meaning 5: To contract something can mean to get or pick up a habit, dirt or friendship over time.↗ Example: The metal rail contracted in the cold night.↗ · The muscle contracted and lifted the arm.↗ · He contracted chickenpox from his cousin.↗ · The builders were contracted to fix the roof.↗ · «Won't» is the contracted form of «will not».↗ · The puddle contracted as the sun dried it.↗ · After a time he became an adept in the black art, and contracted an intimate acquaintance with the fiendish races.↗

contraction — Everyday, meaning 1: In grammar, a contraction is a short form made by joining two words with an apostrophe, like «don't» (do not) or «I'm» (I am).↗ Everyday, meaning 2: In science, contraction means getting smaller or shorter, like a metal shrinking when it cools or a muscle tightening.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Contractions are the tightenings of the womb when a baby is about to be born.↗ Example: «Won't» is a contraction of «will not».↗ · The apostrophe shows the missing letters in a contraction.↗ · Cold weather causes contraction of the metal rails.↗ · Muscle contraction makes your arm bend.↗ · Mum's contractions started, so they went to the hospital.↗ · Write the contraction for «they are».↗

contractor — Everyday, meaning 1: A contractor is a person or company paid to do a particular job, especially building or repair work, under an agreement.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A contractor is a worker hired for a job for a set time rather than as a regular employee.↗ Example: The contractor is building a new garage next door.↗ · We hired a contractor to fix the leaking roof.↗ · The contractor charges 40 dollars an hour.↗ · Two contractors finished the fence in three days.↗ · My aunt works as a contractor for a computer company.↗ · The contractor showed us a plan before he started.↗

contradict — Everyday, meaning 1: To contradict someone means to say the opposite of what they have said, showing you think they are wrong.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: If two facts or statements contradict each other, they cannot both be true.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To contradict yourself means to say two things that do not fit together.↗ Example: The two witnesses contradicted each other.↗ · "Don't contradict your grandfather," said Mum.↗ · The results of our test contradicted our prediction.↗ · You just contradicted yourself: first you said yes, then no.↗ · The new evidence contradicts his story.↗ · It's fine to contradict someone politely if you have facts.↗ · "All odd numbers end in 1" is contradicted by the number 3.↗ · "Will you dare to contradict me?" said the step-mother.↗

contradiction — Everyday, meaning 1: A situation in which two statements or facts cannot both be true: «There is a contradiction between his two stories».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Saying the opposite of what someone else has said: «She spoke without contradiction».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A contradiction in terms: a phrase whose parts seem to oppose each other, like «a quiet shout».↗ Example: There is a contradiction in your story: first you said Monday, then Tuesday.↗ · «Freezing hot» is a contradiction in terms.↗ · The detective noticed a contradiction in the butler's alibi.↗ · In maths we used proof by contradiction to show there is no biggest number.↗ · His actions were in contradiction to his promises.↗ · Saying that all rules must be broken is a contradiction, because that is itself a rule.↗ · The two websites gave answers in direct contradiction.↗ · Soft tones and charming songs reached her ear, as well as harsh sounds and rough words--thoughts and opinions in strange contradiction to each other.↗ · ()f the Sefer Yetzirah II little need be said ; it abounds in trifles, contradictions and repetitions.↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗

contradictory — Everyday, meaning 1: Contradictory statements or ideas cannot both be true because they say opposite things.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A contradictory person often says the opposite of what others say, or of what they themselves said before.↗ Example: The two witnesses gave contradictory accounts of the crash.↗ · «It is raining» and «it is not raining» are contradictory statements.↗ · Mum and Dad gave me contradictory instructions about bedtime.↗ · The experiment gave contradictory results, so we repeated it.↗ · The rules on the sign were contradictory: «Keep left» and «Keep right».↗ · His contradictory answers made the detective suspicious.↗ · The puzzle has two contradictory clues, so one of the twins must be lying.↗ · Of a contradictory woman the Russian peasants affirm that, "If you say 'shaved' she'll say 'cut.'"↗

contradistinction — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal) Contradistinction is telling two things apart by showing how they are opposite or different.↗ Example: Mammals feed their babies milk, in contradistinction to reptiles, which do not.↗ · The essay described day, in contradistinction to night.↗ · Facts, in contradistinction to opinions, can be checked.↗ · The writer drew a contradistinction between bravery and foolishness.↗ · Living things, in contradistinction to rocks, grow and reproduce.↗ · In contradistinction to his noisy brother, Tom was very quiet.↗

contrary — Everyday, meaning 1: Contrary means opposite or very different: «contrary opinions».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: «On the contrary» is used to say the opposite is true: «Bored?↗ On the contrary, I loved it».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (said «con-TRAIR-ee») A contrary person deliberately does the opposite of what others want.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: «Contrary to» means against or different from: «contrary to the rules».↗ Example: Contrary to popular belief, bats are not blind.↗ · «Are you tired?»↗ «On the contrary, I'm full of energy.»↗ · Running in the corridor is contrary to the rules.↗ · Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?↗ · Unless I hear to the contrary, we'll meet at three.↗ · The two sisters had contrary views.↗ · "What are you doing, you contrary thief?" said the master.↗ · And if ye will not for all this hearken unto Me, but walk contrary unto Me; (Torah LEV.26.27, JPS 1917)↗ · And if in spite of these things ye will not be corrected unto Me, but will walk contrary unto Me; (Torah LEV.26.23, JPS 1917)↗ · then will I also walk contrary unto you; and I will smite you, even I, seven times for your sins.↗ (Torah LEV.26.24, JPS 1917)↗ · And the contrary is in thee from other women, in that thou didst solicit to harlotry, and wast not solicited; and in that thou givest hire, and no hire is given unto thee, thus thou art contrary.↗ (Prophets EZK.16.34, JPS 1917)↗

contrast — Everyday, meaning 1: noun A clear difference between two things when you put them side by side.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: verb To compare two things to show how they are different.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: verb To be very different from something: «Her red coat contrasted with the white snow».↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (art, screens) The difference between light and dark parts of a picture.↗ Example: There's a big contrast between the hot day and the cold night.↗ · Compare and contrast life in a city and in the countryside.↗ · In contrast to his brother, Ben is very quiet.↗ · The black letters contrast well with the yellow paper.↗ · Turn up the contrast so the picture is clearer.↗ · «However» is a word that shows contrast.↗ · The obscurity of the Celtic tale forms a striking contrast to the lucidity of the Slavonic.↗ · Pistorius gave " scriptis, numeratis, pronunciatis."↗ Postellus gave " Numerans, numerus, numeratus," thus losing the contrasted meanings ; and so did Rittangelius, who gave " Numero, numerante, numerate."↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗ · They are called Double, because each letter presents a contrast or permutation; thus Life and Death; Peace and War (Evil); Wisdom and Folly; Riches and Poverty; Grace and Indignation; Fertility and Solitude (Desolation); Power and Servitude.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗ · He failed, however, to see that by way of contrast riTnr must necessarily mean consonants.↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗

contravene — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal) To break a law, rule or agreement.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (formal, rare) To go against or disagree with an idea or statement.↗ Example: Parking on the zigzag lines outside school contravenes the rules.↗ · The factory contravened safety laws and had to pay a fine.↗ · Pupils who contravene the phone policy will have phones confiscated.↗ · The referee said the tackle contravened the rules of the game.↗ · Feeding the animals contravenes the zoo's rules.↗ · Building the wall so high contravened the planning law.↗

contribute — Everyday, meaning 1: To contribute is to give money, time or help together with other people.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To contribute to something is to help cause it.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To contribute an idea is to share it in a discussion.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: To contribute to a magazine or book is to send in a piece of writing for it to be printed.↗ Example: Everyone contributed a pound for the gift.↗ · Please contribute your ideas.↗ · Litter contributes to pollution.↗ · She contributed three goals to the win.↗ · Lack of sleep contributed to his grumpiness.↗ · We all contributed food for the picnic.↗ · Mr. Toulmin Smith gave another version in The Constitutional, July 1, 1853, which was translated by his daughter, and contributed to Mélusine, t. ii.↗

contribution — Everyday, meaning 1: A contribution is something you give, especially money, to help pay for something or to help a group.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A contribution is the part someone plays in making something happen or succeed.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A contribution is a piece of writing or an idea given to a magazine, book, discussion or project.↗ Example: Everyone made a contribution of two pounds towards the teacher's present.↗ · Thank you for your contribution to the bake sale!↗ · Her contribution to the project was the poster.↗ · The scientist made a huge contribution to medicine.↗ · My contribution to the picnic was a bowl of strawberries.↗ · If 25 children each give a contribution of 4 dollars, the class collects 100 dollars.↗ · The magazine printed two contributions from our class.↗ · This barrel of nails is my whole fortune, which I wish to give as my contribution towards the bride’s house furnishing.”↗ · I therefore hope that the candid reader will consider the great difficulties I had to overcome in this still unbeaten way of the ancient Jewish spiritual region, and will receive with indulgence this new contribution to archaeological knowledge.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877)↗

contributor — Everyday, meaning 1: A person who gives money, help or ideas to something together with others: contributors to the charity.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A person who writes articles or parts for a book, magazine, website or project.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Something that helps cause something: smoking is a major contributor to heart disease.↗ Example: Every contributor to the class book wrote one page.↗ · The charity thanked all its contributors.↗ · Twenty contributors gave 5 dollars each, so 100 dollars was raised.↗ · Cars are a big contributor to air pollution.↗ · She is a regular contributor to the school newspaper.↗ · (formal) Each contributor shall receive a certificate.↗

contrite — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: feeling deep sorrow for wrongdoing.↗ Example: The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.↗ (Writings PSA.51.19, JPS 1917)↗ · The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as are of a contrite spirit.↗ (Writings PSA.34.19, JPS 1917)↗

contrition — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: deep sorrow and regret for wrongdoing.↗ Example: Thou turnest man to contrition; and sayest: 'Return, ye children of men.'↗ (Writings PSA.90.3, JPS 1917)↗

contrivance — Everyday, meaning 1: A clever device or plan, often made with ingenious thinking.↗ Example: The inventor showed us his clever contrivance for lifting water.↗ · The trap was a simple contrivance of string and sticks.↗ · Her contrivance got the cat out of the box.↗

contrive — Everyday, meaning 1: To manage, by some clever means, to do something or bring a result about.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To make or build something cleverly.↗ Example: She contrived to be first in the queue.↗ · Dad contrived a shelf from an old box.↗ · I must contrive a way to get home before dark.↗

contrived — Everyday, meaning 1: (adjective) Seeming false and planned, not natural or believable: «The ending of the film felt contrived».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (verb, past of contrive) Managed to do something by being clever or tricky: «She contrived to escape».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (verb, past of contrive) Made or invented something cleverly: «They contrived a raft from old barrels».↗ Example: The story's happy ending felt contrived.↗ · His contrived smile showed he was not really pleased.↗ · The prisoners contrived a rope from their bedsheets.↗ · She somehow contrived to finish her homework during breakfast.↗ · The film's coincidences were so contrived that we laughed.↗ · Write dialogue that sounds natural, not contrived.↗ · How they contrived to keep themselves alive is more than I can imagine.↗

control — Everyday, meaning 1: To control something means to make it do what you want, like steering a toy car.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To control yourself means to keep calm and not let anger or tears take over.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Control is the power to make something or someone do what you want.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: Controls are the buttons, levers or knobs that work a machine.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: In a science experiment, the control is the part you keep the same so you can compare.↗ Example: Use the remote control to turn on the TV.↗ · The pilot controls the plane from the cockpit.↗ · Try to control your temper.↗ · The fire was finally under control.↗ · The bike went out of control down the hill.↗ · Press the controls to make the robot move.↗ · In our experiment, the plant with no fertiliser was the control.↗ · She lost control of the ball and it rolled away.↗ · I lost control of myself and rushed upon him.↗ · The Elohim are the Seven Forces, proceeding from the One Divine, which control the ''terra viventium," the manifested world of life.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗