Library / English Dictionary

CONTRIVE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort

Example:

excogitate a way to measure the speed of light

Synonyms:

contrive; devise; excogitate; forge; formulate; invent

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "contrive" is one way to...):

create by mental act; create mentally (create mentally and abstractly rather than with one's hands)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

Did he contrive his major works over a short period of time?

Derivation:

contrivance (the act of devising something)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Put or send forth

Example:

cast a warm light

Synonyms:

cast; contrive; project; throw

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "contrive" is one way to...):

direct; send (cause to go somewhere)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "contrive"):

shoot (send forth suddenly, intensely, swiftly)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Make or work out a plan for; devise

Example:

plan an attack

Synonyms:

contrive; design; plan; project

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "contrive" is one way to...):

create by mental act; create mentally (create mentally and abstractly rather than with one's hands)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "contrive"):

plot (devise the sequence of events in (a literary work or a play, movie, or ballet))

concert (contrive (a plan) by mutual agreement)

map; map out (plan, delineate, or arrange in detail)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE

Sentence example:

They contrive to move

Derivation:

contriver (a person who makes plans)

Credits

 Context examples: 

An object contrived for a specific purpose.

(Device, NCI Thesaurus)

Ah! said the young man, that would be a great thing, but how can you contrive it?

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

I know you will contrive it all.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

But how she contrives it without reflecting on the character of her own father, who had himself two wives, I know not.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

If it can be contrived to be at the Crown, papa, it will be very convenient for the horses.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Perchance Sir Nigel, with his love of all the dying usages of chivalry, might have contrived some strange ordeal or feat of arms by which his love should be put to the test.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A fortnight later, by excellent good fortune, the doctor gave one of his pleasant dinners to some five or six old cronies, all intelligent, reputable men and all judges of good wine; and Mr. Utterson so contrived that he remained behind after the others had departed.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

I see her again in her middle years, sweet and loving, planning, contriving, achieving, with the few shillings a day of a lieutenant’s pay on which to support the cottage at Friar’s Oak, and to keep a fair face to the world.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

We then went upstairs together, and having entered the room and seen the dressing-gown hanging up behind the door, I contrived, by upsetting a table, to engage their attention for the moment, and slipped back to examine the pockets.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Maud even contrived, at times when all my efforts could not budge the windlass, to hold the turn with one hand and with the other to throw the weight of her slim body to my assistance.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)