con'tact

The state in which two or more bodies touch each other; a close a ociation between two or more individuals. c. action. See catalysis, c. substance. See catalyst, direct c, immediate c. The c. of objects or individuals with each other without the intervention of another object or individual, indirect c, mediate c. The c. of a person with another or with anything by the intervention of some one or something. C. by means of an interposed substance. In pathology, see mediate contagion, optical c. A c. between two transparent surfaces (as when two varieties of gla are united to form a single lens), so that there is no change in the direction of rays of light pa ing through the two media; also the c. of pigments with gla , so that there is no reflection from the painted side. [Lat., con, together, + tangere, to touch.]