contractions

Noun

contraction (countable and uncountable, plural contractions)

1. An act of incurring debt; also (generally), an act of acquiring something (generally negative).
   • Our contraction of debt in this quarter has reduced our ability to attract investors.
2. (archaic) An act of entering into a contract or agreement; specifically, a contract of marriage; a contracting; also (obsolete), a betrothal.
3. The process of contracting or becoming infected with a disease.
   • the contraction of malaria

   Synonyms:

   acquiring, catching

4. (archaic, obsolete) An abridgement or shortening of writing, etc.; an abstract, a summary; also (uncountable), brevity, conciseness.

   Synonyms:

   condensation, epitome

   Antonyms:

   dilatation, dilation, expansion

5. A stage of wound healing during which the wound edges are gradually pulled together.

   Antonyms:

   dilatation, dilation, expansion

6. A shortening of a muscle during its use; specifically, a strong and often painful shortening of the uterine muscles prior to or during childbirth.
   • Though occasionally a “flatliner” can be revived with a defib, it is most commonly used to change the uncoordinated contractions of the heart (fibrillation) into a normal sinus rhythm—that is, to defibrillate the heart.2011, Laurence Street, Introduction to Biomedical Engineering Technology, second edition (hardcover), Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 125

   Antonyms:

   dilatation, dilation, expansion

See all 13 meanings of contraction