transitive. To knit up, draw close together.

transitive. To cause (a part of the body) to shrink or contract; to pull (the mouth, face, etc.) out of shape; to distort. Now somewhat rare.

To cause to contract or be reduced in size, volume, or extent; to cause to contract by moisture, heat, or cold; to cause (a limb, sinew, plant) to…

To compress, contract, diminish (in bulk or volume); to draw together (the brows). Obsolete.

transitive. To make shorter, to diminish the length of, to abridge, curtail. With reference to linear measurement. †to shorten up: to contract…

= contract, v.

to gather up v. To draw together, bring into smaller compass; to draw up (the limbs or person): in immaterial sense, to sum up, summarize. In…

transitive. To reduce the size or extent of (something), spec. to alter (a garment) so as to make it fit more closely; to cause to contract.

To draw the parts of (anything) together; to cause to shrink; to knit (the brow).

To contract (any substance) as by cold, etc.

transitive. To pucker or contract (the lips, brow, etc.), as if by tightening the strings of a purse. Also with up, out, and other adverbs. Also in p…

= constringe, v., constrict, v. Obsolete.

(un-, prefix2 affix 1a.)

transitive. To cause to collapse, break down, fall in, or contract.