contract

From Wiktionary

contract is part of the Academic Word List. It is important for students in college and university.

Contents 1 Pronunciation 2 Noun 3 Verb 3.1 Antonyms 3.2 Related words

[change] Pronunciation

noun

• enPR: kŏn'trăkt
• (UK) IPA: /ˈkɒntrækt/, SAMPA: /"kQntr{kt/
• (US) IPA: /ˈkɑntrækt/, SAMPA: /"kAntr{kt/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}
•  Audio (UK)^{help, file}

verb

• enPR: kəntrăkt
• IPA: /kənˈtrækt/
• SAMPA: /k@n"tr{kt/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}
•  Audio (UK)^{help, file}

[change] Noun

Singular contract

Plural contracts

1. (countable) A contract is a legal agreement to trade goods, services and/or property. It's usually written down.

   If you would just sign this contract, the car will be yours.

[change] Verb

Plain form contract

Third-person singular contracts

Past tense contracted

Past participle contracted

Present participle contracting

1. (intransitive) If something contracts, it gets smaller.

   As the wood dries out, it contracts.

2. (transitive) If you contract someone to do a job, you enter into a contract with them.

   We've contracted a cleaning company to take care of the office.

   When there's too much work, there are a number of small firms to which we will contract it out.

3. (transitive) If you contract a disease, you become sick with it.

   It's hard to understand why people risk contracting sexually transmitted diseases.

[change] Antonyms

• expand

[change] Related words

• contractor
• contraction