contracts

Noun

contract (plural contracts)

1. An agreement between two or more parties, to perform a specific job or work order, often temporary or of fixed duration and usually governed by a written agreement.
   • sign a contract

   Synonyms:

   compact, pact

   1. A period of work agreed to under a temporary contract.
      • He worked a six-month contract on an oil rig.
2. An agreement which the law will enforce in some way. A legally binding contract must contain at least one promise, i.e., a commitment or offer, by an offeror to and accepted by an offeree to do something in the future. A contract is thus executory rather than executed.
3. The document containing such an agreement.
4. A part of legal studies dealing with laws and jurisdiction related to contracts.

   Synonyms:

   contract law

5. (informal) An order, usually given to a hired assassin, to kill someone.
   • The mafia boss put a contract out on the man who betrayed him.

See all 18 meanings of contract