n. a binding agreement between two or more persons that is enforceable by law

n. (contract bridge) the highest bid becomes the contract setting the number of tricks that the bidder must make

n. a variety of bridge in which the bidder receives points toward game only for the number of tricks he bid

v. make or become more narrow or restricted; "The selection was narrowed"; "The road narrowed"

v. enter into a contractual arrangement

v. make smaller; "The heat contracted the woollen garment"

v. be stricken by an illness, fall victim to an illness; "He got AIDS"; "She came down with pneumonia"; "She took a chill"

v. become smaller or draw together; "The fabric shrank"; "The balloon shrank"

v. make more concise; "condense the contents of a book into a summary"

v. reduce in scope while retaining essential elements; "The manuscript must be shortened"

v. engage by written agreement; "They signed two new pitchers for the next season"

v. squeeze or press together; "she compressed her lips"; "the spasm contracted the muscle"

n. a legal document declaring a person's wishes regarding the disposal of their property when they die

n. the statement (oral or written) of an exchange of promises; "they had an agreement that they would not interfere in each other's business"; "there was an understanding between management and the workers"

n. an accommodation in which both sides make concessions; "the newly elected congressmen rejected a compromise because they considered it `business as usual'"

n. (diplomacy) an international agreement

n. a commitment to tell the truth (especially in a court of law); to lie under oath is to become subject to prosecution for perjury

v. place limits on (extent or access); "restrict the use of this parking lot"; "limit the time you can spend with your friends"

v. give a point to; "The candles are tapered"

v. make oneself subject to; bring upon oneself; become liable to; "People who smoke incur a great danger to their health"

v. lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits; "moderate your alcohol intake"; "hold your tongue"; "hold your temper"; "control your anger"

v. lose thickness; become thin or thinner

v. put into service; make work or employ (something) for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose; "use your head!"; "we only use Spanish at home"; "I can't use this tool"; "Apply a magnetic field here"; "This thinking was applied to many projects"; "How do you utilize this tool?"; "I apply this rule to get good results"; "use the plastic bags to store the food"; "He doesn't know how to use a computer"

v. put into commission; equip for service; of ships

v. hire for work or assistance; "engage aid, help, services, or support"

v. keep engaged; "engaged the gears"

v. assign to a station

v. put into a certain place or abstract location; "Put your things here"; "Set the tray down"; "Set the dogs on the scent of the missing children"; "Place emphasis on a certain point"

v. make central; "The Russian government centralized the distribution of food"

v. squeeze or press together; "she compressed her lips"; "the spasm contracted the muscle"

v. make more concise; "condense the contents of a book into a summary"

v. bring together into a single whole or system; "The town and county schools are being consolidated"

v. make into a whole or make part of a whole; "She incorporated his suggestions into her proposal"

v. become one; become integrated; "The students at this school integrate immediately, despite their different backgrounds"

v. to bring or combine together or with something else; "resourcefully he mingled music and dance"

v. make more compact by or as if by pressing; "compress the data"

v. to remove oxygen from a compound, or cause to react with hydrogen or form a hydride, or to undergo an increase in the number of electrons

v. undergo meiosis; "The cells reduce"

v. reposition (a broken bone after surgery) back to its normal site

v. form into a solid mass or whole; "The mud had consolidated overnight"

v. contour economically or efficiently

v. cut and assemble the components of; "edit film"; "cut recording tape"

v. give a summary (of); "he summed up his results"; "I will now summarize"

v. place restrictions on; "curtail drinking in school"

v. give an abstract (of)

v. terminate or abbreviate before its intended or proper end or its full extent; "My speech was cut short"; "Personal freedom is curtailed in many countries"

v. decrease in size, extent, or range; "The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester"; "The cabin pressure fell dramatically"; "her weight fall to under a hundred pounds"; "his voice fell to a whisper"

v. make more compact by or as if by pressing; "compress the data"

v. weed out unwanted or unnecessary things; "We had to lose weight, so we cut the sugar from our diet"

v. make shorter as if by cutting off; "truncate a word"; "Erosion has truncated the ridges of the mountains"

v. squeeze or press together; "she compressed her lips"; "the spasm contracted the muscle"

v. twist and compress, as if in pain or anguish; "Wring one's hand"

v. take liquid out of a container or well; "She drew water from the barrel"

v. make central; "The Russian government centralized the distribution of food"

v. join in an affiliation; "The two colleges affiliated"

v. bring together into a single whole or system; "The town and county schools are being consolidated"

v. to bring or combine together or with something else; "resourcefully he mingled music and dance"

v. gather in a mass, sum, or whole

v. assemble or get together; "gather some stones"; "pull your thoughts together"

v. to assemble in proper sequence; "collate the papers"

v. make more concise; "condense the contents of a book into a summary"

v. make more concise; "condense the contents of a book into a summary"

v. make into a whole or make part of a whole; "She incorporated his suggestions into her proposal"

v. become one; become integrated; "The students at this school integrate immediately, despite their different backgrounds"

v. exert pressure or force to or upon; "He pressed down on the boards"; "press your thumb on this spot"

v. press or force; "Stuff money into an envelope"; "She thrust the letter into his hand"

v. come into rough contact with while moving; "The passengers jostled each other in the overcrowded train"

v. push along

v. reduce in scope while retaining essential elements; "The manuscript must be shortened"

v. convert food into absorbable substances; "I cannot digest milk products"

v. contour economically or efficiently

v. make ridges into by pinching together

v. to remove oxygen from a compound, or cause to react with hydrogen or form a hydride, or to undergo an increase in the number of electrons

v. wither, as with a loss of moisture; "The fruit dried and shriveled"

v. reduce in size; reduce physically; "Hot water will shrink the sweater"; "Can you shrink this image?"

v. become flat or flatter; "The landscape flattened"

v. make level or straight; "level the ground"

v. make smooth or smoother, as if by rubbing; "smooth the surface of the wood"

v. lower the pitch of (musical notes)

v. make (a surface) shine; "shine the silver, please"; "polish my shoes"

v. move in a way resembling that of a plow cutting into or going through the soil; "The ship plowed through the water"

v. provide with a binding; "bind the books in leather"

v. cause to be constipated; "These foods tend to constipate you"

v. narrow or limit; "reduce the influx of foreigners"

v. attach with or as if with a pin; "pin up a picture"

v. become more special; "We specialize in dried flowers"

v. become broader or wider or more extensive; "The road widened"

v. become longer by being stretched and pulled; "The fabric stretches"

v. become larger, greater, or bigger; expand or gain; "The problem grew too large for me"; "Her business grew fast"

v. distribute or disperse widely; "The invaders spread their language all over the country"

v. make bigger or more; "The boss finally increased her salary"; "The university increased the number of students it admitted"

v. exaggerate or make bigger; "The charges were inflated"