Contract vs. Expand: Know the Difference
"Contract" means to decrease in size, number, or range, or to enter into a formal agreement. "Expand" means to increase in size, number, or range, or to give a fuller version or account.
Key Differences
Contract involves a reduction in size or quantity, implying a process of becoming smaller or more limited. Expand refers to the process of increasing in size or quantity, suggesting a movement towards a larger or more comprehensive state.
In a physical context, contract is used when an object decreases in size due to conditions like temperature. Conversely, expand is used when an object increases in size under certain conditions, often as a result of heat or absorption of moisture.
In a business or legal context, to contract means to enter into a formal and legally binding agreement. In contrast, to expand in a business context often refers to growth strategies, like increasing the range of products or extending business operations to new areas.
In terms of communication, contract can mean to express an idea in a more concise way, reducing the length or complexity of the original statement. On the other hand, to expand in communication means to elaborate or provide more details, making the idea broader or more thorough.
Contract can also refer to the process of muscles tightening or becoming shorter, as in a physical reaction. In contrast, expand can be used to describe a process of relaxation or spreading out, as seen in materials or in the act of taking up more space.
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Comparison Chart
Physical Change
Decrease in size or volume
Increase in size or volume
Business Context
To enter into a formal agreement
To grow or increase in scope
Communication
To make a statement more concise
To elaborate or add more details
Muscular Action
Tightening or shortening of muscles
Relaxation or spreading out of muscles
Symbolism
Often symbolizes reduction or limitation
Often symbolizes growth or broadening
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Contract and Expand Definitions
Contract
Contract means to decrease in size, volume, or quantity.
Metals contract when cooled.
Expand
Expand means to increase in size, volume, or quantity.
Gases expand when heated.
Contract
Contract in physiology refers to the shortening of muscles during movement.
Muscles contract to move the limbs.
Expand
Expand is used to describe the process of becoming more extensive or detailed.
She expanded her brief comments into a full report.
Contract
An agreement between two or more parties, especially one that is written and enforceable by law.
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Expand
Expand also means to elaborate on a topic or idea.
He expanded on his initial ideas during the presentation.
Contract
The writing or document containing such an agreement.
Expand
To increase the size, volume, quantity, or scope of; enlarge
Expanded her store by adding a second room.
Contract
The branch of law dealing with formal agreements between parties.
Expand
To express at length or in detail; enlarge on
Expanded his remarks afterward.
Contract
Marriage as a formal agreement; betrothal.
Expand
To open (something) up or out; spread out
The bird expanded its wings and flew off.
Contract
The last and highest bid of a suit in one hand in bridge.
Expand
(Mathematics) To write (a quantity) as a sum of terms in an extended form.
Contract
The number of tricks thus bid.
Expand
To become greater in size, volume, quantity, or scope
Air expands when heated. This critic's influence is expanding.
Contract
Contract bridge.
Expand
To speak or write at length or in detail
Expand on a favorite topic.
Contract
A paid assignment to murder someone
Put out a contract on the mobster's life.
Expand
To open up or out; unfold
The chair expands to form a daybed.
Contract
To enter into by contract; establish or settle by formal agreement
Contract a marriage.
Expand
(transitive) To change (something) from a smaller form or size to a larger one; to spread out or lay open.
You can expand this compact umbrella to cover a large table.
Contract
To acquire or incur
Contract obligations.
Contract a serious illness.
Expand
(transitive) To increase the extent, number, volume or scope of (something).
A flower expands its leaves.
Contract
To reduce in size by drawing together; shrink.
Expand
(transitive) To express (something) at length and/or in detail.
Contract
To pull together; wrinkle.
Expand
To rewrite (an expression) as a longer, yet equivalent sum of terms.
Use the binomial theorem to expand .
Contract
(Grammar) To shorten (a word or words) by omitting or combining some of the letters or sounds, as do not to don't.
Expand
To become, by rewriting, a longer, yet equivalent sum of terms.
The expression expands to .
Contract
To enter into or make an agreement
Contract for garbage collection.
Expand
To multiply both the numerator and the denominator of a fraction by the same natural number yielding a fraction of equal value
Contract
To become reduced in size by or as if by being drawn together
The pupils of the patient's eyes contracted.
Expand
(intransitive) To change or grow from smaller to larger in form, number, or size.
Many materials expand when heated.
This compact umbrella expands to cover a large table.
Contract
An agreement between two or more parties, to perform a specific job or work order, often temporary or of fixed duration and usually governed by a written agreement.
Marriage is a contract.
Sign a contract
Write up a contract
Read a contract
Countersign a contract
Legally-binding contract
Unwritten contract
Expand
(intransitive) To increase in extent, number, volume or scope.
Contract
(legal) An agreement which the law will enforce in some way. A legally binding contract must contain at least one promise, i.e., a commitment or offer, by an offeror to and accepted by an offeree to do something in the future. A contract is thus executory rather than executed.
Expand
(intransitive) To speak or write at length or in detail.
He expanded on his plans for the business.
Contract
(legal) The document containing such an agreement.
Expand
(intransitive) To feel generous or optimistic.
Contract
(legal) A part of legal studies dealing with laws and jurisdiction related to contracts.
Expand
To lay open by extending; to open wide; to spread out; to diffuse; as, a flower expands its leaves.
Then with expanded wings he steers his flight.
Contract
(informal) An order, usually given to a hired assassin, to kill someone.
The mafia boss put a contract out on the man who betrayed him.
Expand
To cause the particles or parts of to spread themselves or stand apart, thus increasing bulk without addition of substance; to make to occupy more space; to dilate; to distend; to extend every way; to enlarge; - opposed to contract; as, to expand the chest; heat expands all bodies; to expand the sphere of benevolence.
Contract
(bridge) The declarer's undertaking to win the number of tricks bid with a stated suit as trump.
Expand
To state in enlarged form; to develop; as, to expand an equation. See Expansion, 5.
Contract
(obsolete) Contracted; affianced; betrothed.
Expand
To become widely opened, spread apart, dilated, distended, or enlarged; as, flowers expand in the spring; metals expand by heat; the heart expands with joy.
Contract
(obsolete) Not abstract; concrete.
Expand
Extend in one or more directions;
The dough expands
Contract
(ambitransitive) To draw together or nearer; to shorten, narrow, or lessen.
The snail’s body contracted into its shell.
To contract one’s sphere of action
Expand
Become larger in size or volume or quantity;
His business expanded rapidly
Contract
(grammar) To shorten by omitting a letter or letters or by reducing two or more vowels or syllables to one.
The word “cannot” is often contracted into “can’t”.
Expand
Make bigger or wider in size, volume, or quantity;
Expand the house by adding another wing
Contract
(transitive) To enter into a contract with. en
Expand
Grow stronger;
The economy was booming
Contract
(transitive) To enter into, with mutual obligations; to make a bargain or covenant for.
Expand
Exaggerate or make bigger;
The charges were inflated
Contract
(intransitive) To make an agreement or contract; to covenant; to agree; to bargain.
To contract for carrying the mail
Expand
Add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing;
She elaborated on the main ideas in her dissertation
Contract
(transitive) To bring on; to incur; to acquire.
She contracted the habit of smoking in her teens.
To contract a debt
Expand
Expand the influence of;
The King extended his rule to the Eastern part of the continent
Contract
(transitive) To gain or acquire (an illness).
Expand
Expand can refer to broadening the scope or range of something.
The company plans to expand its operations overseas.
Contract
To draw together so as to wrinkle; to knit.
Expand
In a physical context, expand means to spread out or take up more space.
The balloon expanded as it was filled with air.
Contract
To betroth; to affiance.
Contract
To draw together or nearer; to reduce to a less compass; to shorten, narrow, or lessen; as, to contract one's sphere of action.
In all things desuetude doth contract and narrow our faculties.
Contract
To draw together so as to wrinkle; to knit.
Thou didst contract and purse thy brow.
Contract
To bring on; to incur; to acquire; as, to contract a habit; to contract a debt; to contract a disease.
Each from each contract new strength and light.
Such behavior we contract by having much conversed with persons of high station.
Contract
To enter into, with mutual obligations; to make a bargain or covenant for.
We have contracted an inviolable amity, peace, and lague with the aforesaid queen.
Many persons . . . had contracted marriage within the degrees of consanguinity . . . prohibited by law.
Contract
To betroth; to affiance.
The truth is, she and I, long since contracted,Are now so sure, that nothing can dissolve us.
Contract
To shorten by omitting a letter or letters or by reducing two or more vowels or syllables to one.
Contract
To be drawn together so as to be diminished in size or extent; to shrink; to be reduced in compass or in duration; as, iron contracts in cooling; a rope contracts when wet.
Years contracting to a moment.
Contract
To make an agreement; to covenant; to agree; to bargain; as, to contract for carrying the mail.
Contract
Contracted; as, a contract verb.
Contract
Contracted; affianced; betrothed.
Contract
The agreement of two or more persons, upon a sufficient consideration or cause, to do, or to abstain from doing, some act; an agreement in which a party undertakes to do, or not to do, a particular thing; a formal bargain; a compact; an interchange of legal rights.
Contract
A formal writing which contains the agreement of parties, with the terms and conditions, and which serves as a proof of the obligation.
Contract
The act of formally betrothing a man and woman.
This is the the night of the contract.
Contract
A binding agreement between two or more persons that is enforceable by law
Contract
(contract bridge) the highest bid becomes the contract setting the number of tricks that the bidder must make
Contract
A variety of bridge in which the bidder receives points toward game only for the number of tricks he bid
Contract
Enter into a contractual arrangement
Contract
Engage by written agreement;
They signed two new pitchers for the next season
Contract
Squeeze or press together;
She compressed her lips
The spasm contracted the muscle
Contract
Become smaller or draw together;
The fabric shrank
The balloon shrank
Contract
Be stricken by an illness, fall victim to an illness;
He got AIDS
She came down with pneumonia
She took a chill
Contract
Make smaller;
The heat contracted the woollen garment
Contract
Compress or concentrate;
Congress condensed the three-year plan into a six-month plan
Contract
Make or become more narrow or restricted;
The selection was narrowed
The road narrowed
Contract
Reduce in scope while retaining essential elements;
The manuscript must be shortened
Contract
Contract can mean to enter into a formal and legally binding agreement.
She contracted with the company for their services.
Contract
Contract is used to describe the process of becoming more limited or restricted.
The company's budget contracted due to financial losses.
Contract
Contract also means to condense a piece of writing or speech.
He contracted his essay to fit the word limit.
Repeatedly Asked Queries
How does expansion relate to heat in physical terms?
Most materials expand when heated due to increased molecular movement.
What does it mean to contract a muscle?
It means to shorten or tighten a muscle.
Can businesses contract and expand at the same time?
Yes, different areas of a business can contract while others expand.
Can expansion be seen in the universe?
Yes, the universe is continuously expanding.
Do contracts have to be written?
Not always, but written contracts are more enforceable.
Do all gases expand when heated?
Generally, yes, due to increased kinetic energy.
Can a writer contract an article effectively?
Yes, by summarizing and removing less essential information.
Can expansion lead to dilution in quality?
It can if not managed properly.
Is contraction always due to cooling in physical terms?
Mostly, but other factors like pressure can also cause contraction.
Can expansion be controlled in materials?
Yes, through design and choice of materials.
Can a business contract for strategic reasons?
Yes, to focus on core competencies or for cost savings.
What does expansion mean in an economic context?
It refers to growth or increase in business activities or markets.
Is it common for materials to expand and contract daily?
Yes, many materials expand and contract with temperature changes.
Is expansion always a positive sign in business?
Often, but it can also lead to overextension or mismanagement.
Are there limits to how much something can contract?
Yes, based on material properties and environmental factors.
Does the human brain expand or contract with age?
It typically contracts slightly with age.
Is it difficult to expand a business internationally?
It can be, due to various challenges like cultural differences and regulations.
Can contraction be used to describe economic downturns?
Yes, it's often used to describe a reduction in economic activity.
Does contraction always lead to hardening of materials?
Not necessarily, it depends on the material's properties.
Is thermal expansion a significant factor in engineering?
Yes, it's critical in design and material selection.
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