contracted

Everyday

1. Became smaller or shorter (The metal contracted as it cooled). tree →
2. Caught an illness (She contracted measles). tree →
3. Made a formal agreement to do work (The firm was contracted to build the bridge). tree →
4. (grammar) Shortened by joining words (a contracted form like «don't»). tree →
5. To contract something can mean to get or pick up a habit, dirt or friendship over time. tree →

In the lessons

In science: materials contract when cooled and expand when heated; muscles contract to move bones. In grammar: contracted forms with apostrophes (can't, it's). In health: to contract a disease. In formal writing: contracted to do work.

Examples

• The metal rail contracted in the cold night. tree →
• The muscle contracted and lifted the arm. tree →
• He contracted chickenpox from his cousin. tree →
• The builders were contracted to fix the roof. tree →
• «Won't» is the contracted form of «will not». tree →
• The puddle contracted as the sun dried it. tree →
• After a time he became an adept in the black art, and contracted an intimate acquaintance with the fiendish races. tree →

Note

Opposite in science: expanded. Noun: contraction (both shrinking and a short word form like «isn't»). Stress: kun-TRAK-tid for the verb.