All 8 Uses of
contract
in
Far from the Madding Crowd
- She contracted a yawn to an inoffensive smallness, so that it was hardly ill-mannered at all.†
Chpt 4-6
- The conversation (which seemed to have been concerning the origin of the fire) immediately ceased, and every one ocularly criticised him to the degree expressed by contracting the flesh of their foreheads and looking at him with narrowed eyelids, as if he had been a light too strong for their sight.†
Chpt 7-9
- The low though extensive hall, supported by beams and pillars, and latterly dignified by the name of Corn Exchange, was thronged with hot men who talked among each other in twos and threes, the speaker of the minute looking sideways into his auditor's face and concentrating his argument by a contraction of one eyelid during delivery.†
Chpt 10-12
- Oak stood somewhat as Eros is represented when in the act of sharpening his arrows: his figure slightly bent, the weight of his body thrown over on the shears, and his head balanced side-ways, with a critical compression of the lips and contraction of the eyelids to crown the attitude.†
Chpt 19-21 *
- One of the ewes here contracted its muscles horribly, extended itself, and jumped high into the air.†
Chpt 19-21
- Troy's brow became heavily contracted.†
Chpt 46-48 *
- Her brow had heavily contracted; her whole face was pallid, her lips apart, her eyes rigidly staring at their visitor.†
Chpt 52-54
- He uttered a long guttural sigh—there was a contraction—an extension—then his muscles relaxed, and he lay still.†
Chpt 52-54
Definitions:
-
(contract as in: the metal contracted) when something gets shorter or smaller
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(contract as in: legal contract) an agreement - typically written and enforceable by law