- a written or spoken agreement, especially one concerning employment, sales, or tenancy, that is intended to be enforceable by law（尤指雇用、销售或租赁）合同, 契约：
the company retained its £25 million catering contract
该公司保住了它价值2,500万英镑的饮食供应合同
mass noun much of the produce is grown under contract.许多农产品是根据合同种植的。
- mass noun the branch of law concerned with the making and observation of such agreements合同法, 契约法。
- informal an arrangement for someone to be killed by a hired assassin〈非正式〉（雇用刺客的）暗杀协议：
smuggling bosses routinely put out contracts on witnesses
走私头目像往常一样雇用刺客谋杀证人
as modifier a contract killer.雇佣杀手。
- Bridge the declarer's undertaking to win the number of tricks bid with a stated suit as trumps【桥牌】定约; 定约墩数：
South can make the contract with correct play.
坐在南首的人可以制定无错玩法。
- dated a formal agreement to marry〈旧〉婚约。
- no obj. decrease in size, number, or range收缩; 缩小; 缩短; 缩紧：
glass contracts as it cools.
玻璃遇冷收缩。
- (of a muscle) become shorter and tighter in order to effect movement of part of the body（肌肉）收缩：
the heart is a muscle which contracts about seventy times a minute
心脏是一种每分钟收缩约70次的肌肉
with obj. the exercises contract the muscles working through the knee.这种锻炼收缩膝盖牵引的肌肉。
- with obj. shorten (a word or phrase) by combination or elision缩约（词, 短语）。
- no obj. enter into a formal and legally binding agreement订立合同, 订契约：
the local authority will contract with a wide range of agencies to provide services.
地方当局将与各种代理机构签约以提供服务。
contract in/into
Brit. choose to be involved in (a scheme or commitment)〈英〉参与计划; 承担义务：politically committed members contract into paying the levy.
政党成员有义务缴纳征收费用。
contract out
Brit. choose to withdraw from or not become involved in a scheme or commitment〈英〉退出协议; 退出计划; 不承担义务：plans to encourage people to contract out of the pension scheme.
鼓励人们退出养老金计划的办法。
- secure specified rights or undertake specified obligations in a formal and legally binding agreement立约确保权利（或承担义务）：
a buyer may contract for the right to withhold payment
顾客可以立约保留拒付的权利
with infinitive the paper had contracted to publish extracts from the diaries.此文件约定出版日记摘录。
- with obj. and infinitive impose an obligation on (someone) to do something by means of a formal agreement立约雇用：
health authorities contract a hospital to treat a specific number of patients.
卫生机构约定一家医院收治一定数量的病人。
- with obj.
contract something out
arrange for work to be done by another organization协议把（工作）包出去; 给人承包： local authorities will have to contract out waste management.
地方当局将不得不把废物处理工程承包出去。
- with obj. dated formally enter into (a marriage)〈旧〉订（婚）：
kings obtained dispensations to enable them to contract politically advantageous matches.
国王们获取特许以便缔结有利的政治婚约。
- with obj. enter into (a friendship or other relationship)结成（友谊等）, 结交：
the patterns of social relationships contracted by men and women differ.
男女进行社交的模式各不相同。
- with obj. catch or develop (a disease or infectious agent)染上; 感染; 得（病）：
three people contracted a killer virus.
三个人感染了一种致命的病毒。
- with obj. become liable to pay (a debt)负（债）：
he contracted a debt of £3,300.
他负债3,300英镑。