Contraction
noun
When something becomes smaller or shorter.
Metal undergoes expansion when heated and contraction when cooled.
noun
In grammar, a shorter form of a word or group of words, made by leaving out a sound or letter or by using an apostrophe.
In the sentence 'She's leaving', 'she's' is a contraction of 'she is'.
Often appears as...
- it's a contraction of
- common contractions
Usage tips
Academic
noun
In medicine, a tightening of a part of the body, often a muscle.
The woman started to have contractions and knew the baby was coming.
Often appears as...
- have contractions
- strong contractions
noun
In economics, a period of decreased business activity.
The contraction of the economy led to many job losses.
Often appears as...
- economic contraction
- contraction of the market
Usage tips
Academic
noun
When something becomes smaller or shorter.
Metal undergoes expansion when heated and contraction when cooled.
noun
In grammar, a shorter form of a word or group of words, made by leaving out a sound or letter or by using an apostrophe.
In the sentence 'She's leaving', 'she's' is a contraction of 'she is'.
Often appears as...
- it's a contraction of
- common contractions
Usage tips
Academic
noun
In medicine, a tightening of a part of the body, often a muscle.
The woman started to have contractions and knew the baby was coming.
Often appears as...
- have contractions
- strong contractions
noun
In economics, a period of decreased business activity.
The contraction of the economy led to many job losses.
Often appears as...
- economic contraction
- contraction of the market
Usage tips
Academic
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/2Physical Change
Contraction refers to a physical decrease in size or length, often due to temperature changes.
The bridge has expansion joints to allow for contraction in winter.
Pro Tip 2/2Observable Effect
Observe contraction through changes like a balloon shrinking when cooled.
My sweater suffered contraction after being washed in hot water.
Pro Tip 1/2Physical Change
Contraction refers to a physical decrease in size or length, often due to temperature changes.
The bridge has expansion joints to allow for contraction in winter.
Pro Tip 2/2Observable Effect
Observe contraction through changes like a balloon shrinking when cooled.
My sweater suffered contraction after being washed in hot water.
Pro Tip 1/2Physical Change
Contraction refers to a physical decrease in size or length, often due to temperature changes.
The bridge has expansion joints to allow for contraction in winter.
Pro Tip 2/2Observable Effect
Observe contraction through changes like a balloon shrinking when cooled.
My sweater suffered contraction after being washed in hot water.
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Video examples
Why we laugh PIPE Sophie...
Also, you start to get these sort of contractions and weird whistling sounds, all of which mean that real laughter is extremely easy, or feels extremely easy to spot. In contrast, posed laughter, we might think it sounds a bit fake. Actually, it's not, it's actually an important social cue. We use it a lot, we're choosing to laugh in a lot of situations,
Video examples
Light seconds, light...
And because the expansion and contraction causes their brightness to vary, we can calculate their luminosity by measuring the period of this cycle, with more luminous stars changing more slowly. By comparing the light we observe from these stars to the intrinsic brightness we've calculated this way,
Video examples
Keeping the Gym in Shape...
come in and help let's find out if he really wants it the fitness industry produces 17 billion dollars a year in revenue even during periods of economic contraction people are still interested in their health and their well-being this is a massive industry with tremendous opportunity
Video examples
Birth of Twin Tiger Cubs...
on and off, for the last five hours. We've just finished a period where there was a couple of hours of not really much activity. She's just getting to the point now where she's having some pretty regular and strong contractions. Kaitlyn is entering the advanced stages of labour.
Video examples
How the popsicle was...
Delighted by his invention, Frank begins making the frozen treat for friends, and as he grows older, begins selling them as Eppsicles, a contraction of his last name and the word icicle. It is rumored that later, Frank's own kids dubbed the icy delicacy Pop's 'cicle.
Video examples
Why do whales sing? -...
and their large inflatable organs called laryngeal sacs. We don't know this for sure because it's essentially impossible to observe the internal organs of a living, singing whale, but we think that when a whale sings, muscular contractions in the throat and chest
Video examples
3D printing to bring...
monitor I worked on with a firm in Barcelona called zinc and it could let a woman know what's happening inside her belly when she's pregnant and contract contractions and also send that information to a doctor and I even got to work on a robot so when I was at
Video examples
Adorable Tiger Cub...
we've just finished a period where there's a couple of hours of not really much activity she's just getting to the point now where she's having some pretty regular and strong contractions caitlin is entering the advanced stages of labor
Video examples
What we know (and don't...
allowing the virus to proliferate. Starting anywhere from two to twenty days after contraction, initial symptoms like high temperature, aching, and sore throat resemble those of a typical flu, but quickly escalate to vomiting,
Video examples
When to use apostrophes...
The apostrophe can be used in three to mark possession, to mark contraction, to mark the plural of single letters. Most of the time, if you see an apostrophe hovering helpfully near a word,
Video examples
Why we laugh PIPE Sophie...
Also, you start to get these sort of contractions and weird whistling sounds, all of which mean that real laughter is extremely easy, or feels extremely easy to spot. In contrast, posed laughter, we might think it sounds a bit fake. Actually, it's not, it's actually an important social cue. We use it a lot, we're choosing to laugh in a lot of situations,
Video examples
Light seconds, light...
And because the expansion and contraction causes their brightness to vary, we can calculate their luminosity by measuring the period of this cycle, with more luminous stars changing more slowly. By comparing the light we observe from these stars to the intrinsic brightness we've calculated this way,
Video examples
Keeping the Gym in Shape...
come in and help let's find out if he really wants it the fitness industry produces 17 billion dollars a year in revenue even during periods of economic contraction people are still interested in their health and their well-being this is a massive industry with tremendous opportunity
Video examples
Birth of Twin Tiger Cubs...
on and off, for the last five hours. We've just finished a period where there was a couple of hours of not really much activity. She's just getting to the point now where she's having some pretty regular and strong contractions. Kaitlyn is entering the advanced stages of labour.
Video examples
How the popsicle was...
Delighted by his invention, Frank begins making the frozen treat for friends, and as he grows older, begins selling them as Eppsicles, a contraction of his last name and the word icicle. It is rumored that later, Frank's own kids dubbed the icy delicacy Pop's 'cicle.
Video examples
Why do whales sing? -...
and their large inflatable organs called laryngeal sacs. We don't know this for sure because it's essentially impossible to observe the internal organs of a living, singing whale, but we think that when a whale sings, muscular contractions in the throat and chest
Video examples
3D printing to bring...
monitor I worked on with a firm in Barcelona called zinc and it could let a woman know what's happening inside her belly when she's pregnant and contract contractions and also send that information to a doctor and I even got to work on a robot so when I was at
Video examples
Adorable Tiger Cub...
we've just finished a period where there's a couple of hours of not really much activity she's just getting to the point now where she's having some pretty regular and strong contractions caitlin is entering the advanced stages of labor
Video examples
What we know (and don't...
allowing the virus to proliferate. Starting anywhere from two to twenty days after contraction, initial symptoms like high temperature, aching, and sore throat resemble those of a typical flu, but quickly escalate to vomiting,
Video examples
When to use apostrophes...
The apostrophe can be used in three to mark possession, to mark contraction, to mark the plural of single letters. Most of the time, if you see an apostrophe hovering helpfully near a word,
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Monica Potter
American Actress
Every one and every single time is different, and I didn't have C-sections, which I don't know if that's lucky or unlucky, but I was able to feel every contraction. You forget what it feels like. God's got a great way of making women forget what it's like because we would never go through it again.
Quote examples
Pico Iyer
Indian Writer
Contractions, 'U' for 'you' and the like are wonderful to make communication brief and efficient - but we wouldn't want all our talk to be only brief and efficient. Taking pauses out of language would be like taking the net away from a tennis game. Where would all the fun go?
Quote examples
Christy Turlington
American Model
As long as I was breathing with the contractions and not pushing against them, I felt better. That idea is fundamental-to feel pain and not to resist; to go towards it. It is an incredibly spiritual practice.
Quote examples
Mary Helen Bowers
American Dancer
A lot of fitness is about contractions - you're doing squats, or you're on a bike and your knees are bending but never stretching all the way, so your muscles get strengthened but look short and thick.
Quote examples
Charles Dallara
American Businessman
Greece's unprecedented fiscal effort, which was more than planned, has triggered much larger contractions of economic activity and the tax base than the original program had assumed.
Quote examples
Charles Scott Sherrington
British Scientist
In some units it may suppress the motor discharge altogether, in some it may merely slow the motor discharge thus lessening the wave frequency of the contraction and so the tension.
Quote examples
Edmund Phelps
American Economist
Economists of a classical bent lay a large part of the decline of employment, and thus lagging output, to a contraction of labour supply.
Quote examples
Ibrahim Babangida
Nigerian Statesman
It is of course the nature of historical contraction that the shortest distance to a historical destination is never a straight line.
Quote examples
Madonna Ciccone
American Musician
I've always danced and exercised. I can't imagine not doing it. I'll be Martha Graham in my 90s doing contractions on the floor.
Quote examples
James Surowiecki
American Journalist
The oil market is especially sensitive even to a hint of expansion or contraction in supply.
Quote examples
Monica Potter
American Actress
Every one and every single time is different, and I didn't have C-sections, which I don't know if that's lucky or unlucky, but I was able to feel every contraction. You forget what it feels like. God's got a great way of making women forget what it's like because we would never go through it again.
Quote examples
Pico Iyer
Indian Writer
Contractions, 'U' for 'you' and the like are wonderful to make communication brief and efficient - but we wouldn't want all our talk to be only brief and efficient. Taking pauses out of language would be like taking the net away from a tennis game. Where would all the fun go?
Quote examples
Christy Turlington
American Model
As long as I was breathing with the contractions and not pushing against them, I felt better. That idea is fundamental-to feel pain and not to resist; to go towards it. It is an incredibly spiritual practice.
Quote examples
Mary Helen Bowers
American Dancer
A lot of fitness is about contractions - you're doing squats, or you're on a bike and your knees are bending but never stretching all the way, so your muscles get strengthened but look short and thick.
Quote examples
Charles Dallara
American Businessman
Greece's unprecedented fiscal effort, which was more than planned, has triggered much larger contractions of economic activity and the tax base than the original program had assumed.
Quote examples
Charles Scott Sherrington
British Scientist
In some units it may suppress the motor discharge altogether, in some it may merely slow the motor discharge thus lessening the wave frequency of the contraction and so the tension.
Quote examples
Edmund Phelps
American Economist
Economists of a classical bent lay a large part of the decline of employment, and thus lagging output, to a contraction of labour supply.
Quote examples
Ibrahim Babangida
Nigerian Statesman
It is of course the nature of historical contraction that the shortest distance to a historical destination is never a straight line.
Quote examples
Madonna Ciccone
American Musician
I've always danced and exercised. I can't imagine not doing it. I'll be Martha Graham in my 90s doing contractions on the floor.
Quote examples
James Surowiecki
American Journalist
The oil market is especially sensitive even to a hint of expansion or contraction in supply.
Example 1 of 10
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