\Con*trac"tion\, n. [L. contractio: cf. F.
contraction.]
1. The act or process of contracting, shortening, or
   shrinking; the state of being contracted; as, contraction
   of the heart, of the pupil of the eye, or of a tendion;
   the contraction produced by cold.
2. (Math.) The process of shortening an operation.
3. The act of incurring or becoming subject to, as
   liabilities, obligation, debts, etc.; the process of
   becoming subject to; as, the contraction of a disease.
4. Something contracted or abbreviated, as a word or phrase;
   -- as, plenipo for plenipotentiary; crim. con. for
   criminal conversation, etc.
5. (Gram.) The shortening of a word, or of two words, by the
   omission of a letter or letters, or by reducing two or
   more vowels or syllables to one; as, ne'er for never;
   can't for can not; don't for do not; it's for it is.
6. A marriage contract. [Obs.] --Shak.