contract

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
contract

▶noun /ˈkɒntrakt/ 

• 1 a written or spoken agreement intended to be enforceable by law.

• 2 informal an arrangement for someone to be killed by a hired assassin.

• 3 Bridge the declarer's undertaking to win the number of tricks bid with a stated suit as trumps.

▶verb /kənˈtrakt/ 

• 1 decrease in size, number, or range.

  ■ (of a muscle) become shorter and tighter in order to effect movement of part of the body.

  ■ shorten (a word or phrase) by combination or elision.

• 2 enter into a formal and legally binding agreement.

  ■ (contract in/into) Brit. choose to be involved in.

  ■ (contract out) Brit. choose to withdraw from or not become involved in.

  ■ (contract something out) arrange for work to be done by another organization.

• 3 catch or develop (a disease).

• 4 become liable to pay (a debt).

– derivatives
contractee noun,
contractive adjective.

– origin ME: via OFr. from L. contractus, from contract-, contrahere ‘draw together, tighten’.