verb

1. To draw together or nearer; to shorten, narrow, or lessen.

   “The snail's body contracted into its shell.”

2. (grammar) To shorten by omitting a letter or letters or by reducing two or more vowels or syllables to one.

   “The word "cannot" is often contracted into "can't".”

3. To enter into a contract with.

Synonyms: catch, get, abate, decrease, lessen, reduce, shorten, shrink

noun

1. The act of something that contracts or shrinks; contraction.

   “the contractings of his muscles”

2. Work done on a contract basis.

adjective

1. Getting smaller; drawing itself together into a smaller area.