Contracted Contract Contracting Kənˈtrækt I Work Expanding Market

• glass contracts as it cools.
• the universe is expanding rather than contracting.
• a contracting market
• the heart muscles contract to expel the blood.

contract

1. to become less or smaller; to make something become less or smaller
• opposite expand
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/expand
• Glass contracts as it cools.
• The universe is expanding rather than contracting.
• a contracting market
• The heart muscles contract to expel the blood.
• The exercise consists of stretching and contracting the leg muscles.
• ‘I will’ and ‘I shall’ are usually contracted to ‘I'll’ (= made shorter).
2. to get an illness
• See related entries: Being ill
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/topic/being_ill/contract_6
• to contract AIDS/a virus/a disease
3. to make a legal agreement with somebody for them to work for you or provide you with a service
• The player is contracted to play until August.
• Several computer engineers have been contracted to the finance department.
4. to make a legal agreement to work for somebody or provide them with a service
• She has contracted to work 20 hours a week.
5. to formally agree to marry somebody/form an alliance with somebody

Extra Examples

• ‘I will’ and ‘I shall’ are usually contracted to ‘I’ll’.
• Condoms can help to minimize the risk of contracting HIV.
• He can’t work for them because he is contracted with another company.
• He contracted malaria while abroad.
• The electrical market is forecast to contract by 2% this year.
• The exercise consists of contracting and expanding the leg muscles.

Verb Forms

• present simple I / you / we / they contract
• he / she / it contracts
• past simple contracted
• past participle contracted
• -ing form contracting

Word Origin

• Middle English: via Old French from Latin contractus, from contract- ‘drawn together, tightened’, from the verb contrahere, from con- ‘together’ + trahere ‘draw’.