contracting

1. 1
   verb

   Present participle and gerund of contract. Use this -ing form for an action happening now or named as a thing.

   The metal beam is contracting as the night air cools it.

   Contracting a cold is easy when everyone around you is sick.

   Note
2. 2
   USKON-trakt-ing/ˈkɑntɹæktɪŋ/UKUKkuhn-TRAKT-ing/kənˈtɹæktɪŋ/US

   noununcountable

   Paid work that you do under a contract instead of as a full-time employee.

   Like doing many separate jobs for different bosses instead of one steady job.

   He left his office job and now earns a living through contracting.

   Contracting pays well, but it offers no sick days or paid vacation.

   Similarfreelancing, consulting, freelance

3. 3
   adjective

   Getting smaller, or pulling together into a tighter space.

   Like a sponge that gets smaller when you squeeze the water out.

   The contracting balloon slowly lost its round shape.

   A contracting market gives buyers fewer choices each year.

   Similarshrinking, narrowing

   Oppositerelaxing

4. 4
   noununcountable

   The act of getting smaller or pulling together.

   Like a balloon shrinking as the air slowly leaks out.

   The contracting of the metal caused the old bridge to creak.

   Cold weather causes the contracting of the water pipes.

   Similarcontraction, shrinkage, shrinking, constriction

   Oppositeexpansion, dilation

   Note

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