CON-TRACT contractor (n.) Look up contractor at Dictionary 1540s, one who enters into a contract, from Late Latin contractor, agent noun from past participle stem of Latin contrahere (see contract (n.)); specifically of one who enters into a contract to provide work, services, or goods from 1724. contract (n.) Look up contract at Dictionary early 14c., from Old French contract (Modern French contrat), from Latin contractus a contract, agreement, from past participle of contrahere to draw together, metaphorically, to make a bargain, from com- together (see com-) + trahere to draw (see tract (n.1)). U.S. underworld sense of arrangement to kill someone first recorded 1940. contractile (adj.) Look up contractile at Dictionary 1706, from French contractile, from Latin contract-, past participle stem of contrahere (see contract (n.)). Related: Contractility. Contractile vacuole is from 1877. contract (v.) Look up contract at Dictionary late 14c., make narrow, draw together; early 15c. make an agreement; from Middle French contracter, from Latin contractus, past participle of contrahere to draw together, combine, make an agreement (see contract (n.)). Related: Contracted; contracting. contraction (n.) Look up contraction at Dictionary late 14c., action of making a contract (especially of marriage), also action of shrinking or shortening, from Old French contraction (13c.), or directly from Latin contractionem (nominative contractio), noun of action from past participle stem of contrahere (see contract (n.)). Meaning action of acquiring (a disease) is from c.1600. Grammatical sense is from 1706; meaning a contracted word or words is from 1755. Contractions of the uterus in labor of childbirth attested from 1962. contracted (adj.) Look up contracted at Dictionary c.1600, agreed upon, also shrunken, shortened, past participle adjective from contract (v.). contractual (adj.) Look up contractual at Dictionary 1827, from Latin contractus (see contract (n.)) + -al (1). contracture (n.) Look up contracture at Dictionary 1650s, from French contracture, from Latin contractura a drawing together, from contractus, past participle of contrahere (see contract (n.)). subcontract (n.) Look up subcontract at Dictionary also sub-contract, contract for carrying out all or part of a previous contract, 1817, from sub- + contract (n.). As a verb from 1842 (in Shakespeare it means be betrothed again). Related: Subcontracted; subcontracting. ramp (v.) Look up ramp at Dictionary c.1300, to climb; to stand on the hind legs (of animals), from Old French ramper to climb, scale, mount (12c., in Modern French to creep, crawl), perhaps from Frankish *rampon to contract oneself (cf. Old High German rimpfan to wrinkle, Old English hrimpan to fold, wrinkle), via notion of the bodily contraction involved in climbing [Klein], from Proto-Germanic *hrimp- to contract oneself. Related: Ramped; ramping. obligor (n.) Look up obligor at Dictionary person who binds himself to another by contract, 1540s, agent noun in Latin form from oblige. obligee (n.) Look up obligee at Dictionary person to whom another is bound by contract, 1570s, from oblige + -ee. stringent (adj.) Look up stringent at Dictionary c.1600, astringent, especially with reference to taste, from Latin stringentem (nominative stringens), present participle of stringere (2) to compress, contract, bind or draw tight (see strain (v.)). Of regulations, procedures, etc., 1846. defibrillation (n.) Look up defibrillation at Dictionary 1940, in reference to heartbeat, from de- + fibrillation a beating in an abnormal way, from Modern Latin fibrilla, diminutive of fibra fiber, in reference to the muscle strands of the heart that contract irregularly in this condition. cramp (v.1) Look up cramp at Dictionary to contract (of muscles), early 15c., from cramp (n.1). Related: Cramped; cramping. treaty (n.) Look up treaty at Dictionary late 14c., treatment, discussion, from Old French traité assembly, agreement, treaty, from Latin tractatus discussion, handling, from tractare to handle, manage (see treat). Sense of contract between nations is first recorded early 15c. anschluss (n.) Look up anschluss at Dictionary 1924, from German Anschluß, connection; addition; junction, literally joining, union, from anschließen to join, annex, from an at, to, toward + schließen to shut, close, lock, bolt; contract (a marriage); see slot (n.2). Specifically the proposal to unite Germany and Austria, accomplished in 1938. rift (n.) Look up rift at Dictionary early 14c., a split, act of splitting, from a Scandinavian source (cf. Danish and Norwegian rift a cleft, Old Icelandic ript (pronounced rift) breach; related to Old Norse ripa to break a contract (see riven). Figurative use from 1620s. Geological sense from 1921. As a verb, c.1300. stipulate (v.) Look up stipulate at Dictionary 1620s, bargain, make a contract (intransitive), back-formation from stipulation, or else from Latin stipulatus, past participle of stipulari exact (a promise), bargain for. Transitive sense of demand as a condition is from 1640s. Related: Stipulated; stipulating. severance (n.) Look up severance at Dictionary early 15c., from Anglo-French, from Old French sevrance separation, parting, from sevrer (see sever). Meaning discharge from employment contract is attested from 1941. Severance pay attested by 1942. astringent (adj.) Look up astringent at Dictionary 1540s, from Latin astringentum (nominative astringens), present participle of astringere to bind fast, tighten, contract, from ad- to (see ad-) + stringere draw tight (see strain (v.)). As a noun from 1620s. indenture (n.) Look up indenture at Dictionary contract for services, late 14c., from Anglo-French endenture, Old French endenteure indentation, from endenter (see indent). Such contracts (especially between master craftsmen and apprentices) were written in full identical versions on a sheet of parchment, which was then cut apart in a zigzag, or notched line. Each party took one, and the genuineness of a document of indenture could be proved by juxtaposition with its counterpart. As a verb, 1650s, from the noun. assiento (n.) Look up assiento at Dictionary 1714, contract between the King of Spain and another power (especially that made at the Peace of Utrecht, 1713, with Great Britain for furnishing African slaves to the Spanish colonies in the Americas), from Spanish asiento, from asentar to adjust, settle, establish, literally to place on a chair, from a sentar, from Latin sedens, present participle of sedere to sit (see sedentary). merge (v.) Look up merge at Dictionary 1630s, to plunge or sink in, from Latin mergere to dip, dip in, immerse, plunge, probably rhotacized from *mezgo, from PIE *mezg- to dip, plunge (cf. Sanskrit majjati dives under, Lithuanian mazgoju to wash). Legal sense of absorb an estate, contract, etc. into another is from 1726. Related: Merged; merging. As a noun, from 1805. compact (n.1) Look up compact at Dictionary agreement, 1590s, from Latin compactum agreement, noun use of neuter past participle of compacisci come to agreement, from com- together (see com-) + pacisci to covenant, contract (see pact). spasm (n.) Look up spasm at Dictionary late 14c., sudden violent muscular contraction, from Old French spasme (13c.) and directly from Latin spasmus a spasm, from Greek spasmos a spasm, convulsion, from span draw up, tear away, contract violently, pull, pluck, from PIE *spe- stretch. Figurative sense of a sudden convulsion (of emotion, politics, etc.) is attested from 1817. legate (n.) Look up legate at Dictionary mid-12c., authorized representative of the Pope, from Old French legat and directly from Latin legatus ambassador, envoy, originally provided with a commission, past participle of legare send as a deputy, send with a commission, bequeath, from lex (genitive legis) contract, law (see legal). General sense of ambassador, delegate, messenger is from late 14c. synallagmatic (adj.) Look up synallagmatic at Dictionary expressing reciprocal obligations, from Greek synallagmatikos, from synallagma a covenant, contract, from syn- together with (see syn-) + allagma thing taken in exchange, from stem of allassein to exchange, barter, from allos another (see alias (adv.)). con (n.3) Look up con at Dictionary a slang or colloquial shortening of various nouns beginning in con-, e.g., from the 19th century, confidant, conundrum, conformist, convict, contract, and from the 20th century, conductor, conservative. stipulation (n.) Look up stipulation at Dictionary 1550s, a commitment or activity to do something (now obsolete), from Latin stipulationem (nominative stipulatio), noun of action from past participle stem of stipulari exact a promise, engage, bargain, of uncertain origin. Traditionally said to be from Latin stipula stalk, straw (see stipule) in reference to some obscure symbolic act; this is rejected by most authorities, who, however, have not come up with a better guess. Meaning act of specifying one of the terms of a contract or agreement is recorded from 1750. Meaning that which is stipulated or agreed upon is from 1802. formula (n.) Look up formula at Dictionary 1630s, words used in a ceremony or ritual, from Latin formula form, draft, contract, regulation; rule, method, formula, literally small form, diminutive of forma form (see form (n.)). Modern sense is colored by Carlyles use (1837) of the word for rule slavishly followed without understanding [OED]. Men who try to speak what they believe, are naked men fighting men quilted sevenfold in formulae. [Charles Kingsley, Letters, 1861] Mathematical use is from 1796; use in chemistry is from c.1846. global (adj.) Look up global at Dictionary 1670s, spherical, from globe + -al (1). Meaning worldwide, universal is from 1892, from French. Global village first attested 1960, popularized, if not coined, by Canadian educator Marshall McLuhan (1911-1980). Postliterate mans electronic media contract the world to a village or tribe where everything happens to everyone at the same time: everyone knows about, and therefore participates in, everything that is happening the minute it happens. Television gives this quality of simultaneity to events in the global village. [Carpenter & McLuhan, Explorations in Communication, 1960] lease (v.) Look up lease at Dictionary late 15c., to take a lease, from Anglo-French lesser, Old French laissier to let, leave (see lease (n.). Related: Leased; leasing. Lessor, lessee in contract language preserves the Anglo-French form. policy (n.2) Look up policy at Dictionary written insurance agreement, 1560s, from Middle French police contract, bill of lading (late 14c.), from Italian polizza written evidence of a transaction, from Old Italian poliza, from Medieval Latin apodissa receipt for money, from Greek apodexis proof, declaration, from apo- off + deiknynia to show, cognate with Latin dicere to tell (see diction). lease (n.) Look up lease at Dictionary late 14c., legal contract conveying property, usually for a fixed period of time and with a fixed compensation, from Anglo-French les (late 13c.), from lesser to let, let go, from Old French laissier to let, allow, permit; bequeath, leave, from Latin laxare loosen, open, make wide, from laxus loose (see lax). Modern French equivalent legs is altered by erroneous derivation from Latin legatum bequest, legacy. breach (n.) Look up breach at Dictionary Old English bryce breach, fracture, a breaking, from brecan (see break), influenced by Old French breche breach, opening, gap, from Frankish; both from Proto-Germanic *brecho, *bræko broken, from PIE root *bhreg- to break (see fraction). Figurative sense of a breaking of rules, etc. was in Old English Breach of contract is at least from 1660s. Mithras Look up Mithras at Dictionary Persian god of light, 1550s, from Latin, from Greek Mithras, from Avestan Mithra-, from Indo-Iranian *mitram contract, whence *mitras contractual partner, friend, conceptualized as a god, or, according to Kent, first the epithet of a divinity and eventually his name; from PIE root *mei- to bind (see mitre). Related to Sanskrit Mitrah, a Vedic deity associated with Varuna. His name is one of the earliest Indic words we possess, being found in clay tablets from Anatolia dating to about 1500 B.C. [Calvert Watkins, Dictionary of Indo-European Roots, 2000]. Related: Mithraic; Mithraism. article (n.) Look up article at Dictionary c.1200, separate parts of anything written (e.g. the statements in the Apostles Creed, the clauses of a statute or contract), from Old French article (13c.), from Latin articulus, diminutive of artus a joint (from PIE *ar-tu-, from *ar- to fit together; (see arm (n.1)). Meaning extended to a small division, then generalized to item, thing. Older sense preserved in Articles of War military regulations (1716) and Articles of Confederation (U.S. history). Meaning literary composition in a journal, etc. (independent, but part of a larger work) first recorded 1712. Meaning piece of property (clothing, etc.) first attested 1796, originally in rogues cant. pact (n.) Look up pact at Dictionary early 15c., from Old French pacte agreement, treaty, compact (14c.), from Latin pactum agreement, contract, covenant, noun use of neuter past participle of pacisci to covenant, to agree, make a treaty, from PIE root *pag- fix, join together, unite, make firm (cf. Sanskrit pasa- cord, rope, Avestan pas- to fetter, Greek pegnynai to fix, make firm, fast or solid, Latin pangere to fix, to fasten, Slavonic paž wooden partition, Old English fegan to join, fon to catch seize). shrink (v.) Look up shrink at Dictionary Old English scrincan to draw in the limbs, contract, shrivel up; wither, pine away (class III strong verb; past tense scranc, past participle scruncen), from Proto-Germanic *skrink- (cf. Middle Dutch schrinken), probably from PIE root *(s)ker- (3) to turn, bend. Originally with causal shrench (cf. drink/drench). Sense of become reduced in size recorded from late 13c. The meaning draw back, recoil (early 14c.) perhaps was suggested by the behavior of snails. Transitive sense, cause to shrink is from late 14c. Shrink-wrap is attested from 1961 (shrinking-wrap from 1959). Shrinking violet shy person attested from 1882. tyrant (n.) Look up tyrant at Dictionary c.1300, absolute ruler, from Old French tyrant (12c.), from Latin tyrannus lord, master, tyrant (cf. Spanish tirano, Italian tiranno), from Greek tyrannos lord, master, sovereign, absolute ruler, a loan-word from a language of Asia Minor (probably Lydian); cf. Etruscan Turan mistress, lady (surname of Venus). In the exact sense, a tyrant is an individual who arrogates to himself the royal authority without having a right to it. This is how the Greeks understood the word tyrant: they applied it indifferently to good and bad princes whose authority was not legitimate. [Rousseau, The Social Contract] The spelling with -t arose in Old French by analogy with present participle endings in -ant. Fem. form tyranness is recorded from 1590 (Spenser); cf. Medieval Latin tyrannissa (late 14c.). marriage (n.) Look up marriage at Dictionary c.1300, action of marrying, entry into wedlock; also state or condition of being husband and wife, matrimony, wedlock; from Old French mariage marriage; dowry (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *maritaticum (11c.), from Latin maritatus, past participle of maritatre to wed, marry, give in marriage (see marry (v.)). The Vulgar Latin word also is the source of Italian maritaggio, Spanish maridaje. Meaning a union of a man and woman for life by marriage, a particular matrimonial union is early 14c. Meanings the marriage vow, formal declaration or contract by which two join in wedlock; also a wedding, celebration of a marriage; the marriage ceremony are from late 14c. Figurative use (non-theological) intimate union, a joining as if by marriage is from early 15c. [W]hen two people are under the influence of the most violent, most insane, most delusive, and most transient of passions, they are required to swear that they will remain in that excited, abnormal, and exhausting condition until death do them part. [G.B. Shaw, preface to Getting Married, 1908] Marriage counseling recorded by 1939. Marriage bed, figurative of marital intercourse generally, is attested from 1580s (bed of marriage is from early 15c.). social (adj.) Look up social at Dictionary late 15c., devoted to or relating to home life; 1560s as living with others, from Middle French social (14c.) and directly from Latin socialis of companionship, of allies; united, living with others; of marriage, conjugal, from socius companion, ally, probably originally follower, from PIE *sokw-yo-, suffixed form of root *sekw- (1) to follow, and thus related to sequi to follow (see sequel). Cf. Old English secg, Old Norse seggr companion, which seem to have been formed on the same notion). Related: Socially. Sense of characterized by friendliness or geniality is from 1660s. Meaning living or liking to live with others; companionable, disposed to friendly intercourse is from 1720s. Meaning of or pertaining to society as a natural condition of human life first attested 1695, in Locke. Sense of pertaining to fashionable society is from 1873. Social climber is from 1893; social work is 1890; social worker 1886. Social drinking first attested 1807. Social studies as an inclusive term for history, geography, economics, etc., is attested from 1916. Social security system of state support for needy citizens is attested from 1907 (the Social Security Act was passed by U.S. Congress in 1935). Social butterfly is from 1867, in figurative reference to flitting. Social contract (1849) ultimately is from Rousseau. Social Darwinism attested from 1887. Social engineering attested from 1899. Social science is from 1811. In late 19c. newspapers, social evil is prostitution. Social justice is attested by 1718; social network by 1971; social networking by 1984.
Posted on: Sun, 26 Jan 2014 09:49:47 +0000
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