Contraction

(-trak's hun.) [Same der iv.] In a general sense, the diminishing the extent or dimensions of a body or quantity.-(Surg.) The shrinking up of the muscles or arteries, particularly the flexor muscles, which form knotty colligations beneath the skin, and much restrict the extent of natural motions. (Gram.) The reducing two syllables into one by the omi ion of a letter or syllable; thus, two or more simple vowels occurring together are commonly contracted into a diphthong. [s. 223]