late 14c., "action of making a contract" (especially of marriage), also "action of shrinking or shortening," from Old French contraction (13c.), or directly from Latin contractionem (nominative contractio), noun of action from past participle stem of contrahere (see contract (n.)). Meaning "action of acquiring (a disease) is from c. 1600. Grammatical sense is from 1706; meaning "a contracted word or words" is from 1755. Contractions of the uterus in labor of childbirth attested from 1962.
实用例句
1. The contraction of muscles uses energy and releases heat.
肌肉的收缩消耗能量并且释放热量。
来自柯林斯例句
2. the expansion and contraction of the metal
金属的膨胀与收缩
来自《权威词典》
3. Contraction of the timbers left gaps in the fence.
木料收缩,结果围墙露出缝来.
来自《简明英汉词典》
4. The forces of expansion are balanced by forces of contraction.
扩张力和收缩力相互平衡.
来自《简明英汉词典》
5. "It's" (with an apostrophe) should be used only as a contraction for "it is".
