Contrivance — Con*triv ance, n. 1. The act or faculty of contriving, inventing, devising, or planning. [1913 Webster] The machine which we are inspecting demonstrates, by its construction, contrivance and design. Contrivance must have had a contriver. Paley.… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
contrivance — [n1] plan, fabrication angle, artifice, brainchild, coinage, design, dodge, expedient, formation, gimmick, intrigue, invention, inventiveness, machination, measure, plot, project, ruse, scheme, slant, stratagem, switch, trick, twist; concept 660… … New thesaurus
contrivance — 1620s, from CONTRIVE (Cf. contrive) + ANCE (Cf. ance) … Etymology dictionary
contrivance — *device, gadget, contraption Analogous words: invention, creation, discovery (see corresponding verbs at INVENT): *implement, tool, instrument, appliance, utensil: *machine, mechanism, apparatus … New Dictionary of Synonyms
contrivance — ► NOUN 1) the action of contriving. 2) an ingenious device or scheme … English terms dictionary
contrivance — [kən trī′vəns] n. 1. the act, way, or power of contriving 2. something contrived, as an invention, mechanical device, or ingenious plan … English World dictionary
contrivance — [[t]kəntra͟ɪv(ə)ns[/t]] contrivances 1) N VAR (disapproval) If you describe something as a contrivance, you disapprove of it because it is unnecessary and artificial. [FORMAL] The thing that they all have in common is that they wear simple… … English dictionary
contrivance — noun 1 (C, U) a clever plan to get something for yourself by deceiving someone, or the practice of doing this: Their story was a clumsy contrivance to persuade me to help them. 2 (C) a machine or piece of equipment that has been made or invented… … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
contrivance — UK [kənˈtraɪv(ə)ns] / US noun Word forms contrivance : singular contrivance plural contrivances 1) [countable/uncountable] a plan to trick someone in order to get something for yourself, or the use of such a plan 2) [countable] a clever or… … English dictionary
contrivance — noun a) a (mechanical) device to perform a certain task And along with each of these go their images, not the things themselves, they too have come about by godlike contrivance. b) a means, such as an elaborate plan o … Wiktionary
