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A drug, as ergot, which by exciting uterine contractions promotes the expulsion of the contents of the uterus.

mal organism with a current of electricity, by noting the presence or absence of muscular contraction.

Pertaining the reaction (contraction) of the muscles under electricity, or their sensibility to it.

An obsolete or colloquial contraction of the old form hem, them. Addison.

bligations to do or forbear doing something, as by a pledge, oath, or promise; to bind by contract or promise. "I to thee engaged a prince's word." Shak.

es; engrossing occupation; employment of the attention; obligation by pledge, promise, or contract; an enterprise embarked in; as, his engagements prevented his acceptance of any office. Religion, which is the chief engagement of our league. Milton.

To contract a rheum. [Obs.] Harvey.

aloid extracted from ergot as a brown, amorphous, bitter substance. It is used to produce contraction of the uterus.

Physostigma venenosum; physostigmine. It is used in ophthalmic surgery for its effect in contracting the pupil.

espousing or betrothing; especially, in the plural, betrothal; plighting of the troths; a contract of marriage; sometimes, the marriage ceremony.

To make void; to nullify; to vacate; as, to evacuate a contract or marriage. [Obs.] Bacon.

ing from perils." Bacon. Unarmed they might Have easily, as spirits evaded swift By quick contraction or remove. Milton.

s, and bankers of a city meet at certain hours, to transact business. In this sense often contracted to 'Change. Arbitration of exchange. See under Arbitration. -- Bill of exchange. See under Bill. -- Exchange broker. See under Broker. -- Par of exchange, the established value of the coin or standard of value of one…

sions are transmitted to a nerve center and then reflected back so as to produce muscular contraction without sensation or volition.

ffect on a future contingency; as, an executory devise, reminder, or estate; an executory contract. Blackstone.

py more space; to dilate; to distend; to extend every way; to enlarge; -- opposed to Ant: contract; as, to expand the chest; heat expands all bodies; to expand the sphere of benevolence.

obscurity and making intelligible; as, the explanation of a passage in Scripture, or of a contract or treaty.

length or breadth; susceptible of enlargement; extensible; extendible; -- the opposite of contractible or compressible. "An extensible membrane" Holder.

e under Counter. -- Extension table, a table so constructed as to be readily extended or contracted in length.

Extended or contracted as much as possible; -- said of intervals; as, an extreme sharp second; an extreme flat forth. Extreme and mean ratio (Geom.), the relation of a line and its segments when the line is so divided that the whole is to the greater segment is to the less. -- Extreme distance. (Paint.) See Distance.,…