contraho

Contraho is a Latin verb of the third conjugation meaning to draw together, bring into one place, or to contract in the sense of becoming smaller, as well as to form or secure something such as an agreement or treaty. The word comes from con- “together” and trahere “to pull.” The principal parts are contraho, contrahere, contraxi, contractum, with the perfect passive participle contractus.

In grammar, contraho belongs to the third conjugation. Its present active indicative forms are contraho, contrahis, contrahit, contrahimus, contrahitis, contrahunt. The imperfect is contrahēbam, and the perfect is contraxi, with the supine contractum. The passive forms include contrahor, contraheris, contrahitur, contrahimur, contrahiminī, contrahuntur. The present active participle is contrahens, meaning “drawing together,” and the perfect passive participle is contractus, used as an adjective or a noun meaning “a contract.”

Usage covers several related senses. The primary sense is literal drawing together or gathering, both physical and figurative, as in copiae contrahuntur “the forces are drawn together.” It also means to contract in the sense of acquiring or catching, commonly used in the passive with morbus contrahitur “a disease is contracted.” In legal or formal Latin, the noun contractus denotes a binding agreement or contract, derived from the same root.

In summary, contraho encompasses drawing together, gathering, contracting in size or in condition, and forming a contract or agreement, with a closely related noun contractus used for the concept of a formal agreement.