contribution

Everyday

1. A contribution is something you give, especially money, to help pay for something or to help a group. tree →
2. A contribution is the part someone plays in making something happen or succeed. tree →
3. A contribution is a piece of writing or an idea given to a magazine, book, discussion or project. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life children make contributions to a class gift, a charity or a shared meal; in group work each pupil's contribution is their share of the job. In maths problems contributions are usually added up to find a total, or a total is shared into equal contributions. Phrases: make a contribution, a contribution to/towards, a big contribution.

Examples

• Everyone made a contribution of two pounds towards the teacher's present. tree →
• Thank you for your contribution to the bake sale! tree →
• Her contribution to the project was the poster. tree →
• The scientist made a huge contribution to medicine. tree →
• My contribution to the picnic was a bowl of strawberries. tree →
• If 25 children each give a contribution of 4 dollars, the class collects 100 dollars. tree →
• The magazine printed two contributions from our class. tree →
• This barrel of nails is my whole fortune, which I wish to give as my contribution towards the bride’s house furnishing.” tree →

Note

Countable: a contribution, contributions. Verb: contribute (con-TRIB-ute). Use «to» or «towards»: a contribution to the fund. In maths: equal contributions mean multiply (25 × 4 = 100); to find each person's contribution, divide the total by the number of people.

In Jewish tradition

In everyday life children make contributions to a class gift, a charity or a shared meal; in group work each pupil's contribution is their share of the job. In maths problems contributions are usually added up to find a total, or a total is shared into equal contributions. Phrases: make a contribution, a contribution to/towards, a big contribution.

Examples

• 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) tree →

Note

Countable: a contribution, contributions. Verb: contribute (con-TRIB-ute). Use «to» or «towards»: a contribution to the fund. In maths: equal contributions mean multiply (25 × 4 = 100); to find each person's contribution, divide the total by the number of people.