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esis, or opposition of words and sentiments; containing, or of the nature of, antithesis; contrasted.

n indirect argument which proves a thing by showing the impossibility or absurdity of the contrary.

Proving indirectly, by showing the absurdity, or impossibility of the contrary. Bp. Berkeley.

Self-evident; intuitively true; evident beyond contradiction. Brougham. Sir Wm. Hamilton.

So as to be evident beyond contradiction.

The contraction of a word by the omission of a letter or letters, which omission is marked by the character ['] placed where the letter or letters would have been; as, call'd for called.

To contract by omitting a letter or letters; also, to mark with an apostrophe (') or apostrophes.

Constriction or contraction of some natural passage, as in constipation from inflammation.

eory which excludes all relations between virtue and happiness; the science of virtue; -- contrasted with eudemonics. J. Grote.

Money or other valuable thing given to evidence a contract; a pledge or earnest.

s and rules for attaining a desired end; method of doing well some special work; -- often contradistinguished from science or speculative principles; as, the art of building or engraving; the art of war; the art of navigation. Science is systematized knowledge . . . Art is knowledge made efficient by skill. J. F. Genun…

, or treating of various topics; as, an article in the Constitution. Hence: A clause in a contract, system of regulations, treaty, or the like; a term, condition, or stipulation in a contract; a concise statement; as, articles of agreement.

A contraction of art thou. [Obs.] Chaucer.

urrence. Abject flattery and indiscriminate assentation degrade as much as indiscriminate contradiction and noisy debate disgust. Ld. Chesterfield.

A shareholder of the Assiento company; one of the parties to the Assiento contract. Bancroft.

A contract or convention between Spain and other powers for furnishing negro slaves for the Spanish dominions in America, esp. the contract made with Great Britain in 1713.

An action to recover damages for a breach or nonperformance of a contract or promise, express or implied, oral or in writing not under seal. Common or indebitatus assumpsit is brought for the most part on an implied promise. Special assumpsit is founded on an express promise or undertaking. Wharton.…

Insurance; a contract for the payment of a sum on occasion of a certain event, as loss or death.

A disease, characterized by difficulty of breathing (due to a spasmodic contraction of the bronchi), recurring at intervals, accompanied with a wheezing sound, a sense of constriction in the chest, a cough, and expectoration.

To bind up; to confine; to constrict; to contract. The solid parts were to be relaxed or astricted. Arbuthnot.