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professional, or business connection; a person you know
who can help you: I've got a useful contact in the tax office. |
Ask Henry – he's got the right contacts/some good con-
tacts. 4 [C] an electrical part that can be moved to touch
another part in order to complete an electrical CIRCUIT 5 [C]
CONTACT LENS
contact² v [T] to reach (someone) by message, telephone
etc: Have you contacted the child's parents? | For further
information, contact your local agent.
contact³ adj [A] caused or made active by touch: contact
poisons/explosives
,contact derma'titis n [U] a painful condition of the skin
caused by direct contact with a substance, especially a
chemical, which makes the skin react by becoming red and
swollen
'contact lens also lens, contact n [often pl.] a small plastic
LENS shaped to fit closely over the centre of the eye to
improve the eyesight, or sometimes to change the colour of
the eyes: hard/soft contact lenses → see PAIR (USAGE)
'contact print n tech a photographic print made by putting
an exposed film into direct contact with paper or film and
allowing light to reach it
'contact ,sport n a sport such as AMERICAN FOOTBALL, RUGBY
etc in which players have physical contact with each other
con·ta·gion /kən'teɪdʒən/ n fm1 1 [C;U] the act of spreading
a disease by touch, or a disease spread in this way →
compare INFECTION 2 [C[of]] a harmful influence that
spreads from person to person: a contagion of fear
con·ta·gious /kən'teɪdʒəs/ adj 1 (of a disease) that can be
passed from one person to another by touch: Measles is
highly contagious. | (fig.) contagious laughter/enthusiasm →
compare INFECTIOUS 2 (of a person) having a contagious
disease —ly adv —ness n [U]
con·tain /kən'teɪn/ v [T not in progressive forms] 1 to hold; have
within itself or as a part: That box contains old letters. | Beer
contains alcohol. | This book contains all the information you
need. | The bill contained several new clauses. | a file contain-
ing classified information → see also CONTENTS 2 to hold
back; keep under control or within limits: Try to contain
your enthusiasm/anger! | She couldn't contain herself any
longer – she simply had to tell him the good news. | Doctors are
struggling to contain the epidemic. → see also SELF-CON-
TAINED 3 tech to surround (especially an angle): How big is
the angle contained by these two sides?
con·tain·er /kən'teɪnər/ n 1 a box, barrel, bottle, or any
other object used for holding something: Can you find some
kind of container for these buttons? 2 a very large usually
metal box in which goods are packed to make it easy to lift
or move them, for example onto a ship or road vehicle: a
cargo container | a container port (=a port that handles ships
that carry containers)
con·tain·er·ize also -ise BrE /kən'teɪnəraɪz/ v [T] tech 1 to
pack (goods) in CONTAINERS 2 to change (a place) so that
CONTAINERS can be used there: plans to containerize the port
—ization /kən,teɪnə'zeɪʃən||-rə-/ n [U]
con·tain·ment /kən'teɪnmənt/ n [U] 1 the act of contain-
ing (CONTAIN) something: the containment of an epidemic/of
crowd violence at soccer matches 2 the use of political means
other than war to prevent an unfriendly state from becom-
ing more powerful
con·tam·i·nant /kən'tæmɪnənt/ n something that con-
taminates
con·tam·i·nate /kən'tæmɪneɪt/ v [T] to make impure or
bad by mixing in impure, dirty, or poisonous matter: Large
areas of land have been contaminated by the leakage from the
nuclear reactor. | contaminated food/drugs | (fig.) Our students
are being contaminated by his extreme right-wing ideas!
—nator n —nation /kən,tæmɪ'neʃən/ n [U] radioactive
contamination
con·tan·go /kən'tæŋɡəʊ/ n pl. -gos BrE tech a sum of money
which someone buying SHARES pays to the seller in order to
delay delivery until a later date → compare BACKWARDATION
contd written abbrev. for continued
con·tem·plate /'kɒntəmpleɪt||'kɑːn-/ v 1 [I T] to think
(about) deeply and thoughtfully, especially when consider-
ing a possible course of action or future event: The doctor
contemplated the difficult operation he had to perform. | The
possibility of war is too horrifying to contemplate! He refuses
to contemplate change. | [+v-ing] The government has contem-
plated reforming the entire tax system. | [(infml)] I hope your
mother isn't contemplating coming to stay with us! 2 [T] fm1 to
look at quietly and solemnly: to contemplate a beautiful
sunset 3 contemplate one's navel humor to think deeply;
used especially when you are not doing anything very much
con·tem·pla·tion /,kɒntəm'pleɪʃən||,kɑːn-/ n [U(of)] 1 the
act of thinking deeply and quietly; deep thought: She
seemed lost in contemplation. | The monks spent an hour in
contemplation each morning. 2 fm1 the act of looking at
something quietly and solemnly —plative
/kən'templətɪv, 'kɒntəmpleɪtɪv||kən-, 'kɑːntem-/ adj: He
has a quiet, contemplative nature.
con·tem·po·ra·ne·ous /kən,tem.pə'reɪniəs/ adj [(with)] fm1
existing or happening during the same period of time; CON-
TEMPORARY —ly adv —neity /kən,tempə'ni:əti/ n [U]
con·tem·po·rar·y¹ /kən'tempərəri,
-pərɪl-pɛri/
adj 1 modern; belonging to the present time: contemporary
dress/art/morals | a contemporary building 2 [(with)] of or
belonging to the same (stated) time: Beethoven was contem-
porary with Napoleon. | Contemporary reports of past events
are often more interesting than modern historians' views of
them. → see NEW (USAGE)
contemporary² n a person living at the same time or of the
same age as another: John is a contemporary of mine; we
were at school together. | Beethoven and Napoleon were con-
temporaries.
con·tempt /kən'tempt/ n [U] 1 [(for)] a total lack of respect;
the feeling that someone or something is completely worth-
less, unimportant, or undesirable; DISDAIN: Take no notice of
them – treat them with the contempt they deserve. | His con-
tempt for most of his fellow politicians is clearly expressed in
his book. | He is completely beneath contempt. (=not even
worth the effort of feeling contempt) | I hold those fools in
(utter) contempt. → compare DISDAIN 2 [(of)] disobedience of
or disrespect towards a judge, court of law etc: He was
charged with contempt of court. | He was found in contempt
of the order.
con·temp·ti·ble /kən'temptɪbəl/ adj deserving to be treated
with contempt; DESPICABLE: That was a contemptible trick to
play on a friend! | an absolutely contemptible little man —bly
adv
con·temp·tu·ous /kən'temptʃuəs/ adj [(of)] showing con-
tempt: He gave a contemptuous laugh. | Contemptuous of
danger, he rushed back into the burning building. —ly adv:
She tossed her head contemptuously.
con·tend /kən'tend/ v 1 [I[against, for, with]] to compete or
struggle against difficulties: They are contending for the
championship. | I've got enough problems to contend with,
without your interference! 2 [T+that; obj] fm1 to claim; say or
state strongly: The police contended that the man was in the
area at the time of the robbery. → see also CONTENTION
con·tend·er /kən'tendər/ n [(for)] (especially in sports) a
person who takes part in a competition: a serious contender
for the championship | a leading contender to succeed the
prime minister
con·tent¹ /kən'tent/ adj [F(with)] satisfied; happy; not want-
ing more than you have: content with life | [+to-v] John seems
content to sit in front of the television all night. | (derog) Not
content with having overthrown the government, the mili-
tary dictator imprisoned all his opponents. → see also CON-
TENTED
content² v [T] 1 to make happy or satisfied 2 content
oneself with to limit yourself to, and be satisfied with: As he
had to drive home after the party, he contented himself with
two glasses of beer.
content³ n [U] lit CONTENTMENT → opposite DISCONTENT; see
also to one's heart's content (HEART)
con·tent⁴ /'kɒntent||'kɑːn-/ n 1 [U] the subject matter,
especially the ideas, of a book, speech etc: I like the style of
his writing but I don't like the content. 2 [S] the amount of
the stated substance contained in something: the lead con-
tent of paint | food with a high fat content → compare
CONTENTS