GC: n
S: LawCorn (last access: 2 November 2025); GOV.UK (last access: 2 November 2025).
N: 1. late 14c., “to draw into a smaller compass, become smaller, shrink” (intransitive); early 15c. “make an agreement, enter into a contract, agree or establish to undertake mutually,” from Old French contracter and directly from Latin contractus, past participle of contrahere “to draw several objects together; draw in, shorten, lessen, abridge,” metaphorically “make a bargain, make an agreement,” from assimilated form of com “with, together” (see con-) + trahere “to draw” (see tract (n.1)). Related: Contracted; contracting.
- The earliest known use of the noun contract is in the Middle English period (1150—1500).
- OED’s earliest evidence for contract is from around 1315, in the writing of William of Shoreham, poet.
- contract is a borrowing from French.
- Etymons: French contract.
2. PAJLO; Law of Contracts (common law): contract.
- The instrument evidencing the agreement.
- The agreement itself as opposed to the document.
3. Law of Contracts (common law); Property Law (common law): contract.
- A contract is a deliberate engagement (i.e., an accepted offer) recognized by law between competent parties upon a legal consideration to do or abstain from doing some act.
- For purposes of materiel management in the Federal Government [Canada] the term “contract” means: a. a construction contract, b. a goods contract, c. a service contract, or d. a lease (as defined in “Government Contracts Regulations”).
4. Government Contracts: contract.
- An accord entered into freely by two or more parties which legally binds them to supply goods, execute work or deliver services for a legal consideration.
- All contracts fall into either the fixed-price or cost-type categories (“fixed-price contract”, “cost-type contract”).
- In contract administration, the awarding of all contracts is arrived at either by negotiation or through competitive bidding (“negotiated contract”, “competitive-bid contract”).
- contract: Term and definition approved by the committee set up by the Centre international GP to study the terminology related to major project management.
- contract: term standardized by ISO.
- Phraseology: Body of a contract. Bilateral, executory, long-term, unilateral contract.
5. Collocations: As written agreement.
ADJ. long-term, permanent | casual, fixed-term, short-term | three-year, two-year, etc. | formal, written | verbal | legal, valid | void | enforceable, unenforceable (law) | big, important, major | lucrative | business, commercial | employment, maintenance, research, service | catering, construction, haulage | marriage
VERB + CONTRACT have | bid for, tender for | award (sb), give sb | get, win | lose | negotiate | draw up, write | conclude, enter into, make, sign | carry out, execute | cancel, end, repudiate (law), rescind (law), terminate | be subject to | be in breach of, break, violate | enforce (law) | exchange (law).
CONTRACT + VERB expire | be worth sth.
CONTRACT + NOUN worker (= one on a fixed-term contract) | law.
PREP. in a/the | on a ~ | under ~ (to) | under a/the ~ | ~ between | ~ for | ~ with.
PHRASES (a) breach of contract The company is being sued for breach of contract. | a contract of employment/sale You should make sure that you have a formal contract of employment. | the terms of a contract By using cheaper materials, the company has broken the terms of its contract. | under the terms of a contract Under the terms of the contract the job should have been finished yesterday.
6. Cultural Interrelation: We can mention The Contract Scene from the movie A Night At the Opera (1935) directed by Sam Wood and Edmund Goulding, and played by with Marx Brothers.
S: 1. Etymonline (last access: 2 November 2025); OED (last access: 2 November 2025). 2 to 4. TERMIUM PLUS (last access: 2 November 2025). 5. OZDIC (last access: 2 November 2025). 6. YT (last access: 2 November 2025); IMDb (last access: 2 November 2025).
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