vt 1  :  to become affected with < pneumonia>   2  :  to reduce to smaller size by or as if by squeezing or drawing together < a muscle>  vi  :  to draw together so as to become diminished in size : also  :  to shorten and broaden <muscle s in tetanus>  con*tract*ibil*i*ty n pl  -ties  con*tract*ible adj 
 
 also   
 
Similar sounding terms:  coun·ter·act 
 
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