CONTRACTED

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does contracted mean? 

• CONTRACTED (adjective)
  The adjective CONTRACTED has 1 sense:

1. reduced in size or pulled together

  Familiarity information: CONTRACTED used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CONTRACTED (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Reduced in size or pulled together

Context example:

the contracted pupils of her eyes

Similar:

contractile (capable of contracting or being contracted)

Antonym:

expanded (increased in extent or size or bulk or scope)

 Context examples 

Her husband developed some hateful qualities; or shall we say that he contracted some loathsome disease, and became a leper or an imbecile?

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Eighty-four (28%) of the 300 household contacts eventually contracted laboratory-confirmed influenza virus infection, and 53 (63%) of those infected developed influenza symptoms.

(New study reveals a novel indicator of influenza immunity, National Institutes of Health)

“You must let me speak,” said the woman, in an imperative voice, and her face contracted as if in pain.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Lord Godalming's brows contracted, and he stood up and walked about the room.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

He had stood by the door, all this while, observant of her with a smile upon his face, though his black eyebrows were heavily contracted.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

In the contracted condition the epithelium consists of many cell layers, whereas in the stretched condition usually only two layers of cells can be distinguished.

(Bladder Urothelial Cell, NCI Thesaurus)

Contracted name for a salt of ethylenediaminetetraacetate, an agent used as a chelator of lead and some other heavy metals.

(Edetate Calcium Disodium, NCI Thesaurus)

But why should he think that this disease which he has contracted is Eastern?

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

F. tularensis is pathogenic, being a causative agent of Tularemia which is mainly contracted when handling infected rabbits.

(Francisella tularensis, NCI Thesaurus)

In addition this agent inhibits the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) thereby dilating blood vessels pre-contracted by partial depolarization.

(Epiandrosterone, NCI Thesaurus)