Emily Dickinson Lexicon

contraband, adj. [Sp. 'smuggling' < It. 'unlawful dealing against law or proclamation'; see ban, v.]

Prohibited; illegal; not allowed.

contract (-ing, -s), n. [OFr < L.; see contract, v.] (webplay: compact, debt, gain, length, life, mutual, party, proof, together, word, writing).

1. Compact; binding agreement; serious legal exchange to which all involved parties agree; document detailing the obligation that parties have to each other.
2. Promise; pledge; agreement; vow.
3. Promise; covenant.

contract (-ing, -s), v. [L. con- + trahěre, draw together.] (webplay: party, proof, right).

1. Close; shrink; become smaller; have its parts drawn together.
2. Shrink; constrict; squeeze; limit; compress; narrow; reduce; make smaller; diminish in extent.

contracting, verbal adj. [see contract, v.]

Cramping; restrictive; limiting; constraining; squeezing; shortened.

contradict, v. [L. contrādīcere, to speak against.]

Oppose; negate; work against; be directly contrary to.

contrast, n. [Fr. < It. contrasto, contention, opposition.] (webplay: difference, impudence, kind, pictures, trees).

1. Antithesis; opposition; complement.
2. Comparison; demonstration of dissimilar qualities; placing of opposite things in view.

contrast (-ed, -ing), v. [Sp., Port. contrastar, to resist, withstand, strive, debate, quarrel.]

1. Compare; set in opposition similar things in order to highlight the differences.
2. Examine; compare with; demonstrate the superiority of one over the other.

contrition, n. [OFr.]

Remorse; penitence; repentance; sorrow for what one has done; grief for doing wrong; sincere desire to make restitution.

contrive (-s), v. [OFr < L. turbāre, disturb, stir up, wake up.]

Plot; plan; construct a clever scheme.

control, n. [Fr. contrôle, copy of a roll of account, etc., controlling or overseeing; see contra, adv.] (webplay: act, soul).

Power; command; management; means of restraint; area of influence; portion over which one has authority; function of directing and regulating.