contractioncon‧trac‧tion /kənˈtrækʃən/ noun 
Examples
the contraction of metal as it cools3[countable] a shorter form of a word or words: ‘Haven’t’ is a contraction of ‘have not’.
ExamplesEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
word sets- a contraction in economic activity
- This type of plastic allows for expansion and contraction during temperature changes.
- At this stage the C- field is also ineffective in stopping gravitational contraction.
- Further contraction, pit closures, and industrial erosion would certainly follow.
- Mary had started contractions, which were occurring every five minutes.
- The final contractions are less painful and, indeed, pain varies a good deal between women and between births.
- They also promote sodium excretion and induce a mild volume contraction.
- This contraction was most severely felt by the few employees in the smaller workshops.
- This was especially true as regards the period of contraction or depression, and the Great Depression dealt a decisive blow.
WORD SETS► Birth
Collocationsafterbirth, nounantenatal, adjectiveartificial insemination, nounbaby blues, nounbarren, adjectivebarrier method, nounbear, verbbirth control, nounbreast-feed, verbbreech birth, nouncaesarean, nouncap, nounchildbearing, nounchildbirth, nounconceive, verbconfinement, nouncontraception, nouncontraction, nounC-section, noundeliver, verbdelivery, noundiaphragm, nounDutch cap, nounembryo, nounembryology, nouneugenics, nounfamily planning, nounfertility, nounfertility drug, nounfertilize, verbfetal, adjectivefetus, nounfoetal position, nounfoetus, nounfull-term, adjectivegestation, noungonad, nounincubator, nouninduce, verbinduction, nouninfant mortality rate, nouninfertile, adjectiveIUD, nounIVF, nounmaternal, adjectivematernity, nounmidwife, nounmidwifery, nounmilk, nounmiscarriage, nounmiscarry, verbmorning-after pill, nounmorning sickness, nounmother-to-be, nounmum-to-be, nounnatal, adjectivenatural, adjectivenatural childbirth, nounneuter, verbnurse, verbobstetrics, nounoral contraceptive, nounoviduct, nounovulate, verbovum, nounperinatal, adjectivepostnatal, adjectivepreemie, nounpregnancy, nounpregnant, adjectivepremature, adjectivepresentation, nounprocreate, verbproduce, verbquickening, nounreproduce, verbreproduction, nounreproductive, adjectiverhythm method, nounspay, verbsterile, adjectivesterilize, verbstillbirth, nounstillborn, adjectivestretch mark, nounsurrogate mother, nounswaddle, verbswaddling clothes, nountermination, nountest-tube baby, nountrimester, nounultrasound, nounumbilical cord, noununborn, adjectivewean, verbzygote, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE► high
1[countable] medical a very strong and painful movement of a muscle, especially the muscles around the womb during birth2[uncountable] the process of becoming smaller or narrower: · The fast twitch fibres have a much higher contraction speed and are associated with dynamic bursts of energy.· After eating, although intraluminal pressure does not increase appreciably, the number of high amplitude propagating contractions increases.· To date, no data are available about the neurohumoral mechanisms underlying high amplitude propagated contraction onset.
► oesophageal· By contrast with our study, the available data for oral cisapride do not suggest that cisapride affects characteristics of oesophageal contraction.· The bursts of oesophageal contractions were not related to inappropriate lower oesophageal sphincter relaxations.· Peristaltic or simultaneous oesophageal contractions occurred in clusters of four or more repetitive waves and lasted for several minutes.
► rectal· Giant rectal contractions were never seen in normal subjects.
NOUN► bladder· At eight hours after injection, about 70% of maximum gall bladder contraction was achieved at 45 minutes after the test meal.· It would seem that acromegaly as such does not directly impair gall bladder contraction.· Our study also showed that postprandial gall bladder contraction was suppressed for at least four hours after octreotide injection.· This is probably because of impaired gall bladder contraction.· These findings support the existence of a key L-arginine-nitric oxide pathway regulating gall bladder contraction.· Low plasma octreotide concentration and increased fasting volume may explain improved gall bladder contraction.· This study indicates that octreotide injections impair postprandial gall bladder contraction for at least four hours.· Gall bladder contraction is regulated by an interaction of the myenteric plexus with intestinal hormones.
► muscle· The taser fires a two-pronged dart that overrides the central nervous system and causes uncontrollable muscle contractions.· The vascular changes and muscle contraction then could be considered to be of secondary importance.· Locomotion is effected by undulating waves of muscle contraction and relaxation which alternate on the dorsal and ventral aspects of the worm.· The problem is that this wrong-way impulse sets off a muscle contraction in each of those several hundred muscle fibers.· Even more ciliary muscle contraction will be required for near vision and this may be uncomfortable.· Attention originally focused on the way caffeine affects muscle contraction and reflexes.· The tetanus bacteria grow at the site of the injury and release a toxin which produces rigid muscles and muscle contractions.· The powerful involuntary muscle contractions are often quite distressing to the patient.
VERB► hold· Repeat 20 times, holding each contraction for 1 second.
the contraction of metal as it cools3[countable] a shorter form of a word or words: ‘Haven’t’ is a contraction of ‘have not’.